Sexual violence in warzones is not a new phenomenon. It is only recently, however, that public, international cooperation has formed around its eradication. A shining example of this collaboration is the June 10th to13th Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in London, England.
Hosted by William Hague, U.K. Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, and Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, this Summit represents the first all-inclusive gathering specifically for the purpose of combating sexual violence in conflict areas.
“We are bringing together here governments, experts, civil society, survivors, and members of the public, in an unprecedented concentration of efforts and attention on this issue,” said Hague. With the ultimate goal of breaking the culture of impunity for sexual violence in conflict, Hague and Jolie emphasized that this is an issue of “international peace and security, that it is central to conflict prevention, that it is fundamental to the advancement of women’s right everywhere, and above all, that it is a moral issue for our generation.”
In 2013, Minister Hague led the charge to strengthen efforts to end rape in war with the “The Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict." More than half of UN member states—113 countries—committed themselves to this initiative, but additional reinforcement is needed. With the Global Summit, Hague and Jolie have the opportunity to step outside the UN forum and address the issue by directly engaging with national governments, world leaders, and civil societies.
“This whole subject has been taboo for far too long,” says Jolie. “Warzone rape is a crime that thrives on silence and denial,” and the international community is responsible for addressing it. As Special Envoy to the United Nations and a tabloid favorite, Jolie herself reaches a wide-ranging audience and has brought many of these issues to the forefront. Her access to refugees worldwide—the group most vulnerable to violent sexual crimes during war—has opened the world’s eyes to the realities of refugee camps. Jolie and dedicated individuals such as Minister Hague are generating real momentum, and this Summit is the turning point.
The largest gathering for the elimination of sexual violence in conflict to date, the Summit brought together 1700 delegates, 129 country delegations, and 79 Ministers, including U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry. In addition to an 84-hour global relay of events around the world, there were over 175 public events held in London over the course of the three days. The Summit saw new commitments to women’s participation, conflict prevention, and peace building. Participants agreed on the need for accountability, support for survivors, reform of the security and justice sectors, and international collaboration. But following through on these commitments are key to the success of the overall mission.
Perhaps the most meaningful product of the Summit was the launch of the “International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict,” an initiative aimed at effective evidence-collection tools during wartime that will allow for the prosecution of perpetrators. “Strengthening efforts to gather, preserve, and act on evidence of sexual violence during war may afford a greater justice to the victims and prevent even more widespread violations,” Jolie said.
With all of this recent progress, many wonder why decision makers are only now beginning to commit to the elimination of sexual violence in warzones. “Thanks to courageous survivors, NGOs, journalists, doctors, and activists,” explained Hague, facts about the realities in conflict zones and refugee camps are beginning to surface, leaving no room to deny the prevalence of the issue.
“It is a myth that rape is an inevitable part of conflict. There is nothing inevitable about it. It is a weapon of war aimed at civilians. It has nothing to do with sex, everything to do with power,” Jolie argues. Calling for an end to rape and sexual violence in conflict areas seems like an insurmountable task. But today’s world leaders believe it’s possible.
Secretary John Kerry, one of the many distinguished guests present at the Summit, is adamant that this issue will find a solution. “I was a young prosecutor back in the late 1970s, early ‘80s, when a lot of people still didn’t believe that violence against women was a crime,” Kerry said, “But guess what? We chipped away at that old thinking.”
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Ending Sexual Violence in Warzones: A Possibility Through Unprecedented Cooperation
June 20, 2014
Sexual violence in warzones is not a new phenomenon. It is only recently, however, that public, international cooperation has formed around its eradication. A shining example of this collaboration is the June 10th to13th Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in London, England.
Hosted by William Hague, U.K. Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, and Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, this Summit represents the first all-inclusive gathering specifically for the purpose of combating sexual violence in conflict areas.
“We are bringing together here governments, experts, civil society, survivors, and members of the public, in an unprecedented concentration of efforts and attention on this issue,” said Hague. With the ultimate goal of breaking the culture of impunity for sexual violence in conflict, Hague and Jolie emphasized that this is an issue of “international peace and security, that it is central to conflict prevention, that it is fundamental to the advancement of women’s right everywhere, and above all, that it is a moral issue for our generation.”
In 2013, Minister Hague led the charge to strengthen efforts to end rape in war with the “The Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict." More than half of UN member states—113 countries—committed themselves to this initiative, but additional reinforcement is needed. With the Global Summit, Hague and Jolie have the opportunity to step outside the UN forum and address the issue by directly engaging with national governments, world leaders, and civil societies.
“This whole subject has been taboo for far too long,” says Jolie. “Warzone rape is a crime that thrives on silence and denial,” and the international community is responsible for addressing it. As Special Envoy to the United Nations and a tabloid favorite, Jolie herself reaches a wide-ranging audience and has brought many of these issues to the forefront. Her access to refugees worldwide—the group most vulnerable to violent sexual crimes during war—has opened the world’s eyes to the realities of refugee camps. Jolie and dedicated individuals such as Minister Hague are generating real momentum, and this Summit is the turning point.
The largest gathering for the elimination of sexual violence in conflict to date, the Summit brought together 1700 delegates, 129 country delegations, and 79 Ministers, including U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry. In addition to an 84-hour global relay of events around the world, there were over 175 public events held in London over the course of the three days. The Summit saw new commitments to women’s participation, conflict prevention, and peace building. Participants agreed on the need for accountability, support for survivors, reform of the security and justice sectors, and international collaboration. But following through on these commitments are key to the success of the overall mission.
Perhaps the most meaningful product of the Summit was the launch of the “International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict,” an initiative aimed at effective evidence-collection tools during wartime that will allow for the prosecution of perpetrators. “Strengthening efforts to gather, preserve, and act on evidence of sexual violence during war may afford a greater justice to the victims and prevent even more widespread violations,” Jolie said.
With all of this recent progress, many wonder why decision makers are only now beginning to commit to the elimination of sexual violence in warzones. “Thanks to courageous survivors, NGOs, journalists, doctors, and activists,” explained Hague, facts about the realities in conflict zones and refugee camps are beginning to surface, leaving no room to deny the prevalence of the issue.
“It is a myth that rape is an inevitable part of conflict. There is nothing inevitable about it. It is a weapon of war aimed at civilians. It has nothing to do with sex, everything to do with power,” Jolie argues. Calling for an end to rape and sexual violence in conflict areas seems like an insurmountable task. But today’s world leaders believe it’s possible.
Secretary John Kerry, one of the many distinguished guests present at the Summit, is adamant that this issue will find a solution. “I was a young prosecutor back in the late 1970s, early ‘80s, when a lot of people still didn’t believe that violence against women was a crime,” Kerry said, “But guess what? We chipped away at that old thinking.”
