Beyond silence: breaking impunity for sexual violence in conflicts
In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly established that every June 19, the world would commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, to make visible and eradicate this serious type of human rights violation.
Weapon of war
Sexual violence has been used as a weapon of war in conflicts through acts that include rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy and other forms of sexual abuse that are developed as tactics of war to dehumanize, destabilize communities and destroy social fabric. This type of violence was condemned by the UN Security Council for the first time in 2008 through Resolution 1820, which states that these acts constitute war crimes, threats to international peace and security.
Although more than 15 years have passed since that pronouncement and international efforts have been made to curb this violation of human rights, the UN Secretary General’s 2023 report shows alarming data, stating that verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence increased by 50% compared to 2022, affecting women, girls, men and boys in countries such as Afghanistan, Ukraine, Colombia and Iraq. This increase reflects a worrying trend and underlines the need for more decisive international action less dependent on political will.
The UN draws attention to the lack of public awareness of such crimes, noting that although conflict-related media coverage increased up to 6 times over 10 years, only 5% covered women’s experiences of war, although violence against women has increased considerably.
Impunity and lack of reparations
This lack of awareness reveals its consequences in the persistent impunity to which women are subjected worldwide. In 2024, allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation in UN peacekeeping missions exceeded 100 for the third time in the last decade. This situation highlights the need to strengthen prevention, access to justice, and accountability mechanisms.
Victims of conflict-related sexual violence must have access to comprehensive and transformative reparations, recognizing not only the harm caused but also the specific needs of each case. These reparation measures should transcend the legal and juridical and be approached from a psychosocial perspective, ensuring medical care, educational and employment opportunities, and economic autonomy. These actions should strengthen their decision-making capacity, well-being, and life project.
The International Community and Civil Society
The international community has an urgent and unavoidable responsibility to multiply efforts to prevent this type of violence and mitigate the consequences it leaves on the victims and society in general. This implies not only reinforcing international and national legal frameworks, but also ensuring their effective implementation, punishing those responsible, and providing comprehensive reparations to those affected without them having to go through excessively and unnecessarily long processes that cause further harm.
It is essential to provide sustained support to local organizations working in the most affected territories and to ensure that women participate on an equal footing in decision-making, peace-building, and transitional justice processes. On the other hand, civil society has a key role in denouncing, demanding accountability, accompanying victims, and transforming the structures that perpetuate this violence to move towards dignified, equal, and fair treatment.
The International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is an opportunity to reflect on the progress achieved and the pending challenges in the fight against this grave violation of human rights. States, international organizations and civil society must work together to eradicate sexual violence in conflict, ensure justice for victims and build a world where the dignity and rights of all people are respected.
Margarita Villegas, FIBGAR collaborator
