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Justice vital to combating sexual violence in conflict – Global issues

Pramila Patten, Special Representative of the Secretary-General working to end rape as a weapon of war, is addressing a high-profile debate about increased accountability as a means of bringing about justice for survivors and preventing future violence.

The oldest and least condemned crime of war

Recalling that the Council had adopted 10 resolutions on Women, Peace and Security, five of which focused on preventing and addressing conflict-related sexual violence, Ms. Patten began by ask what those statements mean right now for a woman in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Myanmar. or Tigray in northern Ethiopia.

“Every new wave of war brings with it a new wave of human tragedy, including new waves of the oldest, most silent, and least condemned crimes of war.” she speaks.

Pramila Patten, Secretary-General's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, summarizes the United Nations Security Council meeting on women and peace and security.

UN photo / Loey Felipe

Pramila Patten, Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, summarizes the United Nations Security Council meeting on women and peace and security.

‘Significant increase’ in cases

Ms Patten presented a handful of horrific rapes and other violations included in her latest report, revealing what she called the “shameful impact of being punished”.

The report covers a number of cases and documents 18 countries 3,293 cases verified by the UN committed last year – 800 more than in 2020, representing “a significant increase”.

Most of those targeted – 97% – were women and girls, while 83 cases involved men and boys, mostly in prisons. In 12 cases, lesbian, gay, transgender, gay or transgender (LGBTQI) people were targeted.

Prosecution as prevention

Ms. Patten emphasized how important prosecution is and as a form of prevention, as it can help transform the culture of punishment for these crimes into a culture of deterrence.

“While punishment normalizes violence, justice reinforces global norms. It’s time to move from visibility to accountability and ensure that today’s documentation translates into tomorrow’s prosecutions.” she speaks.

As for the way forward, her report calls for targeted action to strengthen prevention, such as through political and diplomatic intervention to address sexual violence in ceasefire and peace agreements. jar.

Other recommended measures include the use of early warning indicators of sexual violence as well as threat analysis, limiting the flow of small arms, gender responsive justice and security sector reform, along with strengthening the voices of survivors.

Justice and Accountability

Nobel laureate Nadia Murad is one of thousands of women from the Yazidi minority in northern Iraq who were sold as sex slaves and raped by ISIL terrorists in 2014.

Eight years on, about 2,800 women and children are still in the hands of the terrorist group, she said.

“The pursuit of justice is one of the most visible forms of accountability,” she told the Council, citing a historical conviction of genocide against an ISIL fighter by a German court last year. She wondered if the international community would do more.

Action, not pity

“As survivors of sexual violence, it is not easy for us to tell our stories. But we do it to prevent what happened to us from happening to other people.” said Mrs. Murad, who is also a Goodwill ambassador with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

“We are called brave, but the courage we really want to see comes from leaders who are in a position to do something, whether they are Heads of State, Member States. at the United Nations, or corporate leaders. We need more than moral outrage; we need action. ”

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Ms. Murad urges Council to refer ISIL case to International Criminal Court, or to form a joint court that will prosecute crimes committed by the group. She also called on other countries to follow Germany’s example.

Survivors have found the strength to rebuild their lives and help their families, communities and countries, she said, so surely the world can find the strength to take the steps that matter. meant to end sexual violence in conflict.

“As survivors, we expect you, the leaders in this room, to act with the same courage we have shown. Survivors don’t want pity; We want justice. ”

‘Murad Code’ debuts

During the debate, Ms. Murad announced the launch of a new initiative to gather evidence of war rape.

The Murad Code is a set of guidelines for journalists, investigators and others who document and investigate sexual violence related to conflict.

The guidelines, she said, were formed based on feedback from survivors around the globe and aim to promote more respect, understanding, transparency and healing.

The Murad Code was developed with UK funding, Security Council president for April.

Lord Tariq Ahmad, UK Foreign Secretary, who chaired the meeting, called for the code to become the “gold standard” for NGOs, government agencies and human rights groups. .

“Putting survivors at the center of investigations is not an option. It should be done by everyone, everywhere,” he say.

Voice of civil society

Two civil society representatives from Syria and Ethiopia also briefed the ambassadors.

Legal investigator Mariana Karkoutly said that although the war in Syria has been on the agenda of the Security Council for more than a decade, no action has been taken to hold the perpetrators accountable. on human rights violations and international humanitarian law.

She reports that at least 150,000 people are estimated to have been arbitrarily captured, detained or disappeared since the war began. Nearly 10,000 women are among Syrians held in detention centers, where sexual violence is used as a tool to humiliate, punish and force confessions.

Mariana Karkoutly, Co-Founder of Huquqyat, summarizes the United Nations Security Council meeting on women and peace and security.

UN photo / Loey Felipe

Mariana Karkoutly, Co-Founder of Huquqyat, summarizes the United Nations Security Council meeting on women and peace and security.

There is no peace without justice

Ms. Karkoutly, co-founder of an organization for women lawyers called Huquqyat, outlined a list of actions for the Council including referring the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court, through a resolution on detainees and missing persons, investigation and prosecution of perpetrators. sexual violence and ensuring women’s rights are at the heart of accountability efforts.

“As people in Syria witness the conflicts unfolding in Ukraine and other parts of the world today, we are reminded of our own suffering and the catastrophic failure of our country,” she said. agency in preventing violence.

“I join my voice with the millions of girls and women from Syria who are not here with me today and call you to action. There can be no peace without justice”.

Rape and Revenge in Tigray

Hilina Berhanu from Ethiopia tells of her visit to the Tigray region, where rape was used as a war tactic or means of revenge.

This violence is ethnically motivated, she said, and is used to humiliate survivors and their communities. Men and boys are also victims, while women with disabilities, and people from ethnic and indigenous communities, are at particularly high risk.

Ms. Berhanu called on the Security Council to demand that all efforts towards profiling, investigating and preventing sexual violence in conflict focus on survivors. Ambassadors must also ask the warring parties to allow safe humanitarian access to those in need in Tigray and elsewhere, and that such aid includes comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care. .

“Lack of access to psychosocial support services also means that the mental health of survivors hangs in the balance. Many people have died by suicide,” she said.

Ms. Berhanu made a special request to the three African countries on the Council – Gabon, Ghana and Kenya – calling for them to work both at the United Nations and the African Union to promote action on women, peace and security.

They were also asked to “take a closer look at the prevailing view that supporting the investigation of conflict-related sexual violence in Ethiopia could somehow derail their proposed reform agenda.” current government.”

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