Global summit - exceptional opportunity to end sexual violence in conflict
Global summit - exceptional opportunity to end sexual violence in conflict
“This Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict represents an important opportunity to garner global support and commitments to efforts to ensure that all obstacles on the path to justice and accountability can be removed,” said the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Flavia Pansieri.
[A speaker addresses participants at a session of the Global Summit, 12 June 2014 © UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office] Two years of campaigning by the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary, William Hague, and UN Refugee Agency Special Envoy, Angelina Jolie, have led to the hosting of the Summit in London from 10-13 June that aims to translate the UN Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict into a programme of practical action.
Four areas are being explored by some 1,200 attendees including heads of States, Government ministers, UN experts and civil society actors: improving investigation and documentation of sexual violence in conflict; assistance and reparations for survivors of sexual violence; ensuring that the responses to sexual and gender-based violence, and the promotion of gender equality are fully integrated in all peace and security efforts; and improving international strategic coordination.
Pansieri chaired the session on reparations for acts of sexual violence committed in conflict.
“[Reparations] can help restore a sense of dignity and justice, address the pernicious consequences of sexual violence in the lives of survivors and help dismantle patterns of gender-based discrimination,” the Deputy High Commissioner said.
She added that the stigma attached to sexual violence, building on pre-existing gender-based discrimination, exposes victims to life-long disempowerment and marginalization. It also creates additional hurdles in the path to justice, thus fuelling a vicious cycle of impunity and social acceptability.
“Reparations have the potential to break that cycle,” she stressed.
