[APWW-Meet] Security Council Should Listen to Women Hurt by War

[annewalker@iwtc.org]

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Security Council Should Listen to Women Hurt by War


(New York, June 11, 2008) - The United Nations Security Council should
effectively address sexual violence in conflict as a weapon of war and
its destabilizing impact on communities, Human Rights Watch and the
International Women's Tribune Center said today.=20
=20
On June 11, 2008, high-ranking military officials from countries
involved in peacekeeping missions and women from war-torn countries will
make recommendations to the UN Security Council on how to stop sexual
violence in war. =20
=20
"During wartime, it's often more dangerous to be a woman than to be a
soldier," said Marianne Mollman, women's rights advocate at Human Rights
Watch. "As the guardian of international peace and security, it's the
Security Council's job to deal effectively with the persistent problem
of sexual violence in armed conflict." =20
=20
Thousands of women and girls have been victims of sexual violence in
many conflicts around the world for many years. Even UN peacekeepers
have been implicated in committing rape. =20
=20
On May 27-28, UN military experts, government officials, and women's
rights representatives met in Wilton Park near London to discuss
concrete proposals for improving the UN's record on preventing sexual
violence through its peacekeeping operations. =20
=20
Human Rights Watch and the International Women's Tribune Center said
that the Security Council should provide peacekeepers with a clear
mandate to prevent sexual violence. =20
=20
"UN peacekeepers are charged with the protection of civilians, but they
are not always told explicitly that this means stopping sexual
violence," said Mavic Cabrera-Balleza of the International Women's
Tribune Centre. "And the demands on peacekeeping troops are so great
that they may ignore anything they are not asked explicitly to do. The
Council should provide clear mandates on this key issue." =20
=20
Women's groups from conflict zones have long promoted a stronger
participation of women in peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts as a
way to ensure that violence directed at women during and after a
conflict is adequately dealt with. In January 2008, numerous women's
organizations from the Democratic Republic of Congo put together a short
list of recommendations in this regard. Their focus was justice, health
services, democratic participation, and accountability for perpetrators
of sexual violence. =20
=20
"Solutions work best when developed in consultation with those who are
most affected," said Mollmann. "The Security Council should consult
closely with the women's groups working on the front lines in seeking
solutions to deal more systematically with sexual violence in wartime."

=20
Over the past decade, UN peacekeepers have been implicated in committing
sexual violence against the very populations they were charged with
protecting. The United Nations has admitted to some abuses and has
announced a zero-tolerance policy regarding such sexual exploitation and
abuse, but has yet to put into place a system to effectively prevent the
violence. This has raised concerns among human rights and women's rights
groups about the UN's ability to prevent sexual violence committed by
others.
=20
 =20
=20
Security Council Should Listen to Women Hurt by War


( New York , June 11, 2008 ) - The United Nations Security Council
should effectively address sexual violence in conflict as a weapon of
war and its destabilizing impact on communities, Human Rights Watch and
the International Women's Tribune  Center said today.=20
=20

On June 11, 2008 , high-ranking military officials from countries
involved in peacekeeping missions and women from war-torn countries will
make recommendations to the UN Security Council on how to stop sexual
violence in war. =20
=20
"During wartime, it's often more dangerous to be a woman than to be a
soldier," said Marianne Mollman, women's rights advocate at Human Rights
Watch. "As the guardian of international peace and security, it's the
Security Council's job to deal effectively with the persistent problem
of sexual violence in armed conflict." =20
=20
Thousands of women and girls have been victims of sexual violence in
many conflicts around the world for many years. Even UN peacekeepers
have been implicated in committing rape. =20
=20
On May 27-28, UN military experts, government officials, and women's
rights representatives met in Wilton Park near London to discuss
concrete proposals for improving the UN's record on preventing sexual
violence through its peacekeeping operations. =20
=20
Human Rights Watch and the International Women's Tribune  Center said
that the Security Council should provide peacekeepers with a clear
mandate to prevent sexual violence. =20
=20
"UN peacekeepers are charged with the protection of civilians, but they
are not always told explicitly that this means stopping sexual
violence," said Mavic Cabrera-Balleza of the International Women's
Tribune Centre. "And the demands on peacekeeping troops are so great
that they may ignore anything they are not asked explicitly to do. The
Council should provide clear mandates on this key issue." =20
=20
Women's groups from conflict zones have long promoted a stronger
participation of women in peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts as a
way to ensure that violence directed at women during and after a
conflict is adequately dealt with. In January 2008, numerous women's
organizations from the Democratic Republic of Congo put together a short
list of recommendations in this regard. Their focus was justice, health
services, democratic participation, and accountability for perpetrators
of sexual violence. =20
=20
"Solutions work best when developed in consultation with those who are
most affected," said Mollmann. "The Security Council should consult
closely with the women's groups working on the front lines in seeking
solutions to deal more systematically with sexual violence in wartime."

=20
Over the past decade, UN peacekeepers have been implicated in committing
sexual violence against the very populations they were charged with
protecting. The United Nations has admitted to some abuses and has
announced a zero-tolerance policy regarding such sexual exploitation and
abuse, but has yet to put into place a system to effectively prevent the
violence. This has raised concerns among human rights and women's rights
groups about the UN's ability to prevent sexual violence committed by
others.
=20
 =20
=20

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