11.04.2013
Rape in war zones is preventable and Angelina Jolie urged foreign ministers of some the world's most powerful nations to boost efforts to bring wartime sex offenders to justice. Speaking in London after a meeting of Group of Eight foreign ministers including U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Angelina Jolie said the world needed to do more to prevent such crimes. "Hundreds of thousands of women and children have been sexually assaulted, tortured or forced into sexual slavery in the wars of our generation." Rape in war zones was preventable and urged foreign ministers of some the world's most powerful nations to boost efforts to bring wartime sex offenders to justice."Today I believe their voices have been heard and that we finally have some hope to offer them. I welcome the long overdue stand that the G8 has taken."
The Declaration on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, endorsed by the G8 nations -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Britain and the United States -- commits them to taking greater steps to help the victims of sexual violence in war, prevent further attacks and hold perpetrators to account.
Rape and serious sexual violence in conflict are grave breaches of the Geneva Convention, as well as being war crimes. This means states have a responsibility to find those accused of such crimes and bring them to justice.
Under the declaration, the G8 nations agreed to draw up protocols on international standards for the investigation of rape and sexual violence and ensuring access to justice for survivors. They will work together to raise awareness of the issue, which affects predominantly girls and women but also men and boys.They also promised to boost support services for the victims, especially children, including health care, legal aid and counseling.The agreement followed a meeting with the U.N. envoy on sexual violence in conflict, Zainab Bangura.
Together, the nations pledged nearly $36 million in additional funds to help end sexual violence. Angelina Jolie, speaking alongside Hague and Bangura, said the declaration was welcome, but "long overdue" for the survivors of sexual violence. "For too long, they have been the forgotten victims of war, responsible for none of the blame but bearing the worst of the pain."
"Rape is not a women’s issue, or a humanitarian issue, it is a global issue and it belongs here at the top table of international decision-making where he has put it. So I look forward to campaigning with him at the UN, and I call on other governments to make this cause their priority. If they do, this will be the start of a new global alliance against warzone rape and sexual violence; and finally an end to impunity."
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