September 30, 2009—Washington, DC. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) welcomes today's announcement by the UN Security Council that it has adopted a resolution to create a new leadership position to bolster efforts to end sexual violence in conflict.
The IRC welcomes this renewed commitment to act and calls upon the UN to appoint a tenacious and highly visible champion who will not allow governments to turn a blind eye to this outrage.
Today's resolution, known officially as Resolution 1888, builds upon the landmark Security Council Resolution 1820, adopted in 2008, which acknowledges that conflict-related sexual violence is a threat to international peace and security. While Resolution 1820 raised hopes for women and girls across the globe that finally their voices were being heard, it has proven to have very little impact on the ground since its adoption.
This is largely because there has been no change to the systems in place which have consistently failed to adequately prevent and respond to sexual violence in the past. The director of IRC's Gender Based Violence programs, Heidi Lehmann, says, "Words alone can't bring change. Resolution 1820 won't improve the lives of women and girls unless there is a vast increase in the level of resources and expertise dedicated to addressing this violence."
Today's resolution begins to provide a blueprint for action. New UN leadership must use this platform to make sure that all actors are living up to their commitments by challenging the perception that rape in war is inevitable and raising the bar for UN-led response. Women can no longer be marginalized from debates of peace and security; their protection must be a priority, perpetrators must be prosecuted and public campaigns must portray rape as an unacceptable abuse of power.
The situation is too dire to wait any longer. The IRC's coordinator for programs to assist survivors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sarah Mosely, says "The situation in South Kivu is getting worse by the day. The stories we are starting to hear come out of areas affected by recent military operations are horrific."
This moment can't be wasted. As Lehmann says "Too often these resolutions inspire a never ending cycle of reflection on what to do next. Yet we know what to do. NGOs have been working alongside courageous and dedicated women living in conflict to put an end to this violence for decades. We just need the resources and leadership to make sure that collectively we have an impact."
While today's announcement by the Security Council is an important step forward, the IRC firmly believes that leaders in the international community must do more than condemn the atrocities being committed against women in conflict zones, they must act to end it. It is time to defy the myth that rape is an inevitable feature of war.
For more information please contact Elisabeth Roesch @ IRC. T: 202.822.0166 ext. 23 / E: Elisabeth.Roesch@theIRC.org
About the International Rescue Committee: A global leader in humanitarian assistance, the International Rescue Committee works in over 40 countries offering help and hope to refugees and others uprooted by conflict and oppression. During crises, IRC teams provide health care, shelter, clean water, sanitation, learning programs for children and special aid for women. As emergencies subside, the IRC stays to revive livelihoods and help shattered communities recover and rebuild. The IRC also helps resettle thousands of refugees admitted into the United States each year in and around 22 US cities. A tireless advocate for the most vulnerable, the IRC is committed to restoring hope, dignity and opportunity. For more information, visit theIRC.org
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Newly released Palestinian Bara Malki (L) sits next to her mother inside her house in Jalazone refugee camp, near Ramallah, after being released from an Israeli prison September 30, 2009. Nineteen ...
