The fight against sexual violence

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The UN security Council, concerned at Germany’s Initiative, with the complexity of sexual violence in conflict. Germany has presented a corresponding action plan for its reduction.

Abducted Chibok girls after their release

43 girl kidnapped and raped in North-East Nigeria; female genital mutilation in Tanzania; virginity tests in currently over 20 countries: these are just some of the abuses against which the United Nations want to take action in the Resolution 1325 and to support the Federal Republic of Germany.

Germany, it says on the website of the Federal foreign office, belong to the “group of friends of Resolution 1325” at the United Nations, in the information on the implementation of shared and common positions and initiatives can be coordinated. “The German government sees the implementation of Resolution 1325 as a cross-cutting theme in the decisions, activities, and projects of their Foreign, security and development policy is taken into account.”

At Germany’s Initiative, the security Council of the United Nations is now in an open debate with the complexity of sexual violence in conflict.

To this end, the Federal government presented at the beginning of their two-year membership in the UN security Council its own plan of action, in which she describes her steps towards the implementation of Resolution 1325 in the period 2017-2020.

Right to physical integrity. A protest sign against female genital mutilation in Uganda

Women not only as victims

However, the Federal government does not understand women only as victims of war and violence. Such a view, attack short, – stated in the action plan. “Because, in fact, women in conflicts not only as victims in appearance. They play an important role in peace-building, reconstruction and the Transformation of societies after a conflict. The potential of women in the creation of peace and security but often neglected.”

Women, it is said in the paper, could contribute decisively to crises and armed conflicts would arise in the first place, or that after the termination of conflicts, their recurrence will be prevented. “Also in humanitarian, stabilization and development policies, the systematic integration of a gender perspective is of Central importance.”

Priority for prevention

The action plan 2017-2020 in a slightly modified Form of approaches and issues, which were already followed in the previous Plan for the years 2013-2016. This included a total of six Central steps: building a gender-sensitive crisis prevention and the promotion of equal participation and involvement of women; the introduction of a comprehensive gender perspective in the preparation and training of operational forces of the Bundeswehr and the Federal police; the active participation of women in all phases of crisis prevention, conflict management and peace-building; measures for the protection of vulnerable groups and Victims of sexual and other forms of gender-based violence; take into account the special needs of women and girls in the reconstruction of post-conflict societies, as well as the care of traumatized victims groups; and finally, the strengthening of international criminal justice and ending impunity in connection with gender-based violence crimes, as well as systematic violations of the rights particularly of women and girls.

Also a Problem in Europe: violence against women. A Protest work of art in Dublin, November 2018

The strengthening of civil society

Particularly, the Federal government wants to strengthen in the new Plan the actors of the civil society: “Against the Background of a worldwide increasing reduction of the room for manoeuvre for civil society in many countries (“shrinking spaces”) to win the cooperation with civil society organisations, not only in Germany but also on a bilateral and multilateral level, even more important,” – stated in the action plan.The German Initiative corresponds to the concerns of the European Union, which also campaigns for the rights and empowerment of women. How urgent the concern is, explained in October 2018 and Mara Marinaki, Ambassador and principal adviser of the European Union for women, peace and security, the UN security Council.

“The EU is promoting as the world’s leading force and the UN-partner in the full implementation of the Agenda for peace and security of the women, consistently, the equality of the sexes, the strengthening of the role of women and women’s rights in our foreign Trade, since they are at the heart of our European values”, Marinaki. Investment in the economic empowerment of women is not only a question of Fairness, Marinaki. “The economic and business benefits of the empowerment of women are considerable. Gender equality is a prerequisite for peace, security, sustainable development and justice, which have all a positive impact on our global, regional and national economy.”

Together against sexual violence: the actress Angelina Jolie and the German foreign Minister, Heiko Maas

Maas and Jolie can all pull together

Prior to the meeting of the UN security Council Federal government called on foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD), and the American actress Angelina Jolie in the “Washington Post” together to take decisive action against sexual abuse in conflict areas. “Rape and other forms of sexual violence as war and terrorism tactics in conflicts around the world used,” says Maas and Jolie in a guest contribution to the newspaper. Although there was initial international efforts to bring to the criminal responsibility, impunity remains the Norm.

Angelina Jolie fights against sexual violence in conflict areas, and worked with the former British foreign Minister, William Hague. For the UN-refugee organization UNHCR for many years, and was appointed in 2012 to the special Ambassador.

Maas and Jolie also call for, sexual offenders draw consistently. International justice systems have played a crucial role. In addition, there is a need for a better control in the crisis regions. “Resolutions of the UN security Council, the paper will not merely remain, if we are to ensure the rule compliance” is Dunning you. In addition, there is a need for better support for Survivors of sexual violence.

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A App against sexual violence in India

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A App against sexual violence in India