[women-rights] Women in armed conflict at extreme risk of sexual violence

***Learn more about the International Day for the Elimination of Violence
Against Women, 25 November 2004:
http://www.hrea.org/feature-events/vaw-day.php


UNICEF Press release

Impunity for rape and sexual violence in war must end immediately

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 25 November 2004 ­ "The systematic use of rape as a
weapon of war is a violation of human rights that demands urgent attention
and an end to impunity," UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy said
today.

"The prevalence of rape and sexual violence during armed conflict is not a
new problem, but it is as serious as it has ever been," Bellamy said on
the International Day for the Prevention of Violence Against Women.
"Perpetrators of sexual violence during armed conflict are violating
international law. States must hold them accountable, and there must be
resources for victims to seek justice."

"War has always dealt cruelly with women, but the nature of violent
conflict in the world has changed in the past decades in ways that are
taking an even greater toll on women and children," Bellamy said. In the
14 years after the end of the Cold War, from 1990 to 2003, there were 59
different major armed conflicts in 48 locations.  Only four of these
involved war between nations.

"This means that fighting is now more often taking place, not on the
battleground, but in the places where people live," Bellamy said. "It
means that civilians are more likely to be direct or indirect targets of
violence."

"During conflict, in flight and in refugee camps, women and girls are
extremely vulnerable to violence, sexual abuse and exploitation," Bellamy
said. As community structures crumble and violence escalates, there are
fewer measures in place to ensure safety and security.

Bellamy said that one of the most disturbing phenomena of the past two
decades is the use of rape as a deliberate tactic of war, a way of
demoralizing and humiliating the enemy and destabilizing entire
communities.

"In situations of armed conflict, girls and women are routinely targeted
in campaigns of gender-based violence, including rape, mutilation,
prostitution and sexual slavery," she said.

Bellamy pointed to the conflict in Darfur, considered one of today's worst
humanitarian crisis, where militias have routinely engaged in rape of
young girls and women of all ages. That conflict has forced more than a
million people to leave their homes and seek refuge in makeshift camps for
displaced persons. But even there, women and girls are in grave danger of
being sexually assaulted, particularly when they venture beyond the camp
for firewood.

"Perpetrators of sexual violence during armed conflict, as well as those
who authorize attacks, must be prosecuted," Bellamy said. She said that
ending the impunity that surrounds these crimes requires concerted action
on the local, regional, national and international levels and should
include:

* Monitoring systems to document, investigate and prosecute incidents of
rape and sexual abuse.
* A dramatic increase in resources to provide necessary support to women
and girls who have endured rape and other forms of sexual violence so that
they can rebuild their lives.
* Improvement of security measures for refugee and IDP camps.
* Increased involvement of women in devising protective measures both for
refugee and IDP camps and all phases of post-conflict operations.
* The training of peace keepers in the prevention of sexual and
gender-based violence.

"Rape is being used as a weapon of war, often with complete impunity,"
Bellamy said. "In the interest of human rights, human decency and human
dignity this must end."



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