News

Expert Meeting on Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment

Date: 31 October 2005

A conference, chaired by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UNIFEM, was held in New York from 10 to 12 October 2005, bringing together more than 40 experts in sexual violence prevention and treatment. Representatives of UN humanitarian agencies, peacekeeping missions, universities and foundations, local and international NGOs, as well as delegations from Guatemala and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, agreed to strengthen collaboration at all levels to end sexual violence in situations of conflict, post-conflict, displacement, and natural disaster settings. The meeting served as the launch for an agreed set of guidelines (PDF, 1.9MB) for a coordinated approach to sexual violence prevention and care in emergency settings.

"Women and girls in post-conflict situations are facing a major justice deficit," said UNIFEM Executive Director Noeleen Heyzer. "Having survived wars and conflict, they are living with gross injustices that fill their past and are haunting their present. We must break the cycle of violence in women's lives and ensure that the UN is part of the solution, not part of the problem."