Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

The Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) theme focuses on the incidence and prevalence of violence against women in conflict and post-conflict settings. Polarisation of gender roles, proliferation of weapons, militarisation, and the breakdown of law influence SGBV.

The risk of SGBV is heightened during conflict by aggravating factors, including the polarization of gender roles, the proliferation of arms, the militarization of society, and the breakdown of law and order. The subsequent long-term and complex impacts of SGBV continue to affect individuals and communities after conflict ends.

SGBV is addressed in all five resolutions on Women, Peace and Security. In SCR 1888, the Security Council expresses its intention to ensure peacekeeping mandate resolutions contain provisions on the prevention of, and response to, sexual violence, with corresponding reporting requirements to the Council (OP11). The resolutions deal with protecting women from violence (1820,OP3, 8-10; 1888,OP3,12); strengthening local and national institutions to assist victims of sexual violence (1820,OP13; 1888,OP13); and including strategies to address sexual violence in post-conflict peacebuilding processes (1820,OP11). SCR 1820 also calls for the participation of women in the development of mechanisms intended to protect women from violence (OP10).

Lastly, SCR 1960 creates institutional tools and teeth to combat impunity and outlines specific steps needed for both the prevention of and protection from conflict-related sexual violence. The new “naming and shaming,” listing mechanism mandated in the Resolution is a step forward in bringing justice for victims and a recognition that sexual violence is a serious violation of human rights and international law.

Addressing SGBV is an integral aspect of the overall Women, Peace and Security agenda. SGBV affects the health and safety of women, and also has significant impact on economic and social stability. The Security Council recognises that sexual violence can threaten international peace and security, and that it is frequently used as a tactic of war to dominate, humiliate, terrorise, and displace.

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SUDAN: Sudanese Women Coalition Slams Bashir's Statements on Public Order Regime

During his campaign in Gazeera State in early April, President Bashir vowed to maintain the Public Order Regime when he returned to office. Furthermore, the Sudan public order police have formed new committees to develop and set criteria for acceptable women's dress and behaviour and to identify the types of violations with which women will be charged.

DRC: Michaëlle Jean Arrives in Congo as Speculation Swirls Over Canada's Role

Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean arrived in Congo under heavy security Sunday amid indications Canada could take a leading role in the world's deadliest conflict since the Second World War.

Soldiers with assault rifles guarded a multitude of checkpoints for kilometres around the airport, in a country where armed rebels launched a deadly attack to temporarily overtake another airport just days ago.

INTERNATIONAL: Five Hundred Women Leaders Participate in the Fifth Meeting of Spanish and African Women for a Better World

More than five hundred women leaders from five continents participated in the Fifth Meeting of Spanish and African Women for a Better World, hosted by the Government of Spain in Valencia on 27-28 March, with support from UNIFEM. The participants adopted a ten-point declaration, committing to move forward on improving gender equality and promoting women's economic and political capacities.

AFGHANISTAN: 18-year-old Afghan Woman Slain in Campaign of Fear

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan A gunman lying in wait shot and killed an 18-year-old woman as she left her job at a U.S.-based development company Tuesday, casting a spotlight on a stepped-up campaign of Taliban intimidation against women in this southern city where U.S. troops plan a major operation in the coming weeks.

INTERNATIONAL: Stopping Violence Against Women

Khalida married her husband Asad in Pakistan through an arrangement made by their families. (Their names are changed here to protect Khalida.) She finished medical school and began her residency a month after she was married. Her husband was immediately abusive and jealous: He restricted Khalida's movement and forced her to be accompanied wherever she went, including to work.

DRC: New Report Shows Shocking Pattern of Rape in Eastern Congo

Survey reveals that sixty percent of rape victims gang raped, more than half in their own homes, appalling increase in number of civilian rapists

INTERNATIONAL: Rape As A Political Weapon

Politically motivated sexual violence directed against women is an issue that is seldom the subject of widespread media coverage yet it profoundly affects millions of women in communities worldwide. Organized rape is a tactic used to denigrate and repress political prisoners and victims of war and it is often under reported due to the stigma attached to being a victim of this crime in many parts of the world.

More than 8,000 Women Raped Last Year by Fighters in Eastern DR Congo

The number of women raped in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where sexual violence committed by warring factions has become endemic, topped 8,000 last year, according to fresh estimates released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

COLOMBIA: Ban Saves Lives in Medellín; New Law on Guns and Domestic Violence

A significant new law specifically linking violence against women with firearms possession was passed by the Colombian Congress in December 2008.

DRC: Study: Civilian Rape Skyrockets in Congo's East

The number of rapes carried out by civilians in eastern Congo has increased by 17-fold in the last few years, according to a study released Thursday that says sexual assaults long perpetrated by armed groups are spreading across the population.

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