“Together, we committed to break the taboo
around wartime rape and take action to put an end to its use, and to shatter
the culture of impunity… We pledged our support for engendering a global shift
in attitudes towards sexual violence, causing a lasting and profound shift,
transforming world opinion. 
Sexual violence is not a lesser crime: it is an atrocity of the first order and
there must be no safe haven for perpetrators anywhere.” Chair’s
Summary of the Summit. 

 

Soroptimists
all over the world took action for the world’s first Global Summit to End
Sexual Violence in Conflict. Over 120 government representatives attended the
summit, and 155 countries have signed the Declaration of Commitment to End
Sexual Violence in Conflict. Other events happened outside London – making the summit truly global!

By signing
that document they have agreed to adhere to international legal standards and
prosecute those who perpetrate these crimes; properly fund prevention and
response efforts, including training armies and police forces; to provide
assistance and care to victims, including families and communities who have to
live with the effects of sexual violence; and ensure that women participate
fully in political, governance and security structures. It is the opinion of
the Declaration’ signatories that women much be involved to ensure that they
are taken into full consideration. These agreements are spoken about in the
Chair’s Summary.

 

Some
countries have responded by creating National Action Plans. Such countries
include the UK, Canada and Somalia. National Action Plans are being used in
order to make content of the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence
in Conflict a reality.

SIGBI
President, Margaret Oldroyd attended the Global Summit, and is pleased to hear
about the actions governments are taking:

“SIGBI applauds the National
Action Plans which have been announced by some Governments but regrets that
there are also many Governments yet to agree to address this issue. Our
expectation is that those Governments which have National Action Plans
will ensure that they are made effective and we urge those Governments which
have not yet done so, to develop a National Action Plan so that Sexual
Violence in Conflict can be eliminated quickly and that any perpetrators are
brought to justice without delay.”

 But there are still around 40 countries that
have not signed the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in
Conflict. In order to make sexual violence in conflict a thing of the past,
every government must be in agreement, and take practical action. Soroptimist
International is currently drafting an Advocacy Pack on sexual violence in
conflict (which shall be available soon), helping Soroptimists to continue the
movement to bring an end to sexual violence in conflict.