(Transcript from World News Radio)
A United Nations report has outlined some progress in addressing sexual violence in the world's conflict zones.
But it has identified 45 armed groups in 19 countries as probably being responsible for rape or other acts of sexual violence.
And it highlights what it calls a disturbing new trend of extremist groups using sexual violence against women and girls as a tactic of terro
Van Nguyen has the details.
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Zeinab Hawa Bangura assumed her role as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict three years ago.
She could hardly have imagined how heart-breaking her mission would be.
Ms Bangura has told the UN Security Council the world should be shocked by the Secretary-General's latest report, outlining incidents in 19 conflict situations.
"Sexual violence in conflict represents a great moral issue of our time and it merits the concerted focus of the Security Council. This crime in its destruction of the individual and the pervasive way that it undermines the prospect of peace and development casts a long shadow over our collective humanity."
Still, Ms Bangura believes the fight to eradicate sexual violence in conflict situations is not a mission impossible, thanks to some tangible and positive changes.
"Our knowledge, analysis and information is deeper and serves as a basis for strategic interventions at all levels. Greater resources have been dedicated for sexual and gender-based violence programming on the ground than ever before. Although the resources still fall far short of the challenges we face, we're finally beginning to see some accountablity for a crime.
United States ambassador Michele Sison acknowledges the positive changes.
However, she agrees much remains to be done.
"Across the world, we are through leadership programs, small grants and professional training to demand better, safer lives through legislation that protects the rights of women and men from gender-based violence. Unfortunately, there are gaps in many local justice systems and international accountability that must be remedied in order to hold all perpetrators accountable."
Michele Sison is also concerned that groups such as Boko Haram and the self-declared Islamic State are using sexual and gender-based violence as a strategy.
"These groups utilise conflict related sexual violence not only to terrorise women and children, but as a war tactic to suppress opposition and to punish those whose beliefs differ. Sexual and gender based violence has become an engrained aspect of their overall strategy for controlling territory, destroying the social fabric and recruiting new supporters."
Another speaker addressing the Council was Hamsatu Allamin, of the Non-Governmental Organization Working Group on Women, Peace and Security.
She says empowerment of women and girls is an important part of addressing the problem of sexual violence in conflict zones.
"I am here to implore the Security Council - and the international community - to develop integrated solutions in partnership with women's groups and service providers. These solutions should prevent conflict-related sexual violence, protect those at risk, provide conprehensive support to survivors, promote gender perspective and women's voices, prosecute those responsible and take action to strengthen the rights of women and girls."
Hamsatu Allamin says more also needs to be done to end sexual violence by various armed extremist groups.
"State and non-State armed groups in my country as in Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Burma and many other places are perpetrating acts of sexual and gender-based violence on women, girls, men and boys. This has a devastating impact on sustainable peace and development. In Iraq, sexual and gender-based violence committed by extremist groups, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, may amount to crimes against humanity. Likewise, in my country, Nigeria, witnesses reported that dozens of women, who had been previously married to insurgents, were killed by their 'husbands' to prevent them from escaping or being rescued and eventually marrying other soldiers or other so-called non-believers."
Britain's Deputy UN Ambassador Peter Wilson says the UN Secretary-General's report has provided a vital framework for action.
"If we are to end sexual violence in conflict, we must tackle its root causes as well as its symptoms. We all have a responsibility to end gender inequality and descrimination in our societies and in this Council, we have a unique responsibility to prevent conflict that allows sexual violence to thrive."
The Secretary-General's Special Representative, Zeinab Hawa Bangura, says she's hoping the latest report will result in action, not just promises.
"As the report states, the era of silence has been replaced by international recognition that the shame of rape presides not in the victim but in the perpetrators. And any party that seeks to condone or conceal their conduct, the history of warzone rape has been one of denial. It is time to bring these crimes, and those who commit them, into the spotlight of international scrutiny and to send a clear message that the world will not tolerate the use of sexual violence as a tactic of war and terror."
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