Copyright: Wilton Park
It is a sad reflection of mankind when we have super fast communication across the world, a large network of aid organisations and strong international bodies, but we are still confronted by the inability to prevent sexual violence in conflict and post conflict situations.
The list of heinous crimes is appalling, as is the fact that millions of women, children and men are subject to such horrors. Sexual violence affects all parts of society. There is a long list of countries where thousands of individuals have been victims - Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, Uganda, Liberia, Bosnia and Syria: sadly, the crimes are continuing to this day.
This month sees a series of events highlighting the global campaign to stop such crimes.
It is one of William Hague’s top priorities. Last week he gave a keynote speech at Wilton Park in the UK entitled ‘Confronting rape as a weapon of war: a challenge for our generation’ in which he said he was convinced that “we can do more and our efforts to prevent rape in war have to be as determined as our efforts to prevent conflict in the first place”.
In July he announced a donation of £1 million to the ICC’s groundbreaking mechanism to help victims rebuild their lives and at Wilton Park he said that the British government would contribute £375,000 to the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support to develop policies, guidance and training for use by peacekeepers as first responders to incidents of sexual violence.
The UK has set up a special unit to coordinate our, and international activity. The head of the unit, Emma Hopkins, spoke at a standing room only event in the margins of the ICC Assembly of States Parties last week. At the same event, we heard moving testimony from representatives of victims of sexual violence, as well as inspiring words on what governments and NGOs are doing to prevent it.
Later the same day, I attended the presentation of the Carnegie Wateler Peace Prize 2012 to War Child. War Child is an independent organisation helping children and young people affected by conflict - including child soldiers. Again the tragic stories of the victims left me with the strongest impression. But I was inspired by their determination to lead peaceful and productive lives in society.
This is an issue which governments, working with civil society, need to do more to address. That’s the purpose of William Hague’s initiative – and I’m pleased to be able to play a small part to promote it. I am also delighted to announce that Stichting Red een Kind (Save a Child foundation) have written a guest blog for me that will be published tomorrow, 20 November, on the occasion of International Children´s Day. Stichting Red een Kind is one of the dedicated NGO´s working in conflict- and post conflict areas. Their main aim is to empower children as well as their families who are at risk.