Violence Against Women As War Tactics

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Committee Topic: Violence against Women as War Tactics

Country Name: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Violence against Women as War Tactics

Background Information

Over the past decades, violence against women in conflict areas has increased tremendously. Since the Bosnia War in the early 1990s, about 20,000 to 50,000 women and children faced sexual violence against them as war tactics (1). Studies have been shown that areas with the most number of conflicts also have the most number of violence against women. For example, in Sierra Leone, about 50,000 to 64,000 women were raped and harassed by the "combatants" (2) and during the Rwanda genocide in 1994, there was an estimate about 500,000 women that were raped during the "100 days of conflict" (2). In the 1998 Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court and the 1949 Geneva Conventions both stated that "sexual violence is an international crime – not the damage of war" (2).

In addition, during the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, it adopted the Platform for Action. The Platform for Action stated that the "effects of armed conflict on women" is one of the major criteria that have to be focused by the international community and the UN (4). The Beijing Conference has adopted the fact that "rape is crime against humanity" (4) and governments should take strong stance on this issue. Although the violence against women is an international crime, women are often wrong accused of rape; they are "rejected by husbands, girls rendered "unmarriageable", accused of adultery, or dishonoring the family name" (2). The causes of the continuous sexual violence against women are due to the weak government policy and framework.

United Nations Involvement

In 2000, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1325 that called for the member states to allow women to participate in "the prevention and resolutions of conflicts and help maintain and promote peace and security" (3). In addition, the resolution called for the international communities to follow the "international laws" and establish legal protection for the "rights of civilian women and girls" during armed conflicts and help prevent "gender – based crimes such as rape and sexual assault" (3). In 2007, the United Nations Security Council created an UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict to prevent and respond to sexual violence in conflicts. The Action Plan improved "strategic planning and prevent" violence against women in conflicts. The plan aimed to increase international cooperation to combat the "threat" of the violence against women in wars as war tactics. The Action Plan stated the need for a "response to sexual violence by providing medical, judicial, psycho – social and economic support" for women. The UN Action Plan was adopted by the Secretary General’s Policy Committee in June 2007 as a basic outline of preventing forced

Later in 2008, the Security Council passed another resolution, Resolution 1820, which called for the international community to end all "acts of sexual violence against women and girls as a tactic of war" and place stricter punishments on the "perpetrators" (3). In addition, the resolution called for the UN and the member states to increase protection in conflict areas, along with the refugee camps, and increase the participation of women in promoting peace. Lastly, the Resolution 1820 called for the UN Peacekeepers to increase the prevention and respond faster to sexual violence in areas with conflicts. Secretary General, Ban Ki – Moon established a UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign in 2008 to end all forms of violence against women and girls during conflicts. The campaign was established by the UN agencies along with international governments and other organizations to "put an end to violence against women in all forms" (3).

In 2009, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1888 that elaborated upon Resolution 1820. In Resolution 1888, a UN working group was created to go into countries with serious conflicts and "authorize peacekeepers to protect women and children" (3). In the same year, Resolution 1889 was adopted by the Security Council. Resolution 1889 urged the international community and organizations to protect and empower women and girls, especially ones that are in armed conflicts.

Under the help of the Australian Government’s Aid Agency (AusAID), the UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict, Department of Peacekeeping Operations, and the Special Representative of the Secretary – General on Sexual Violence in Conflict created outlines to address "conflict – related sexual violence". The four organizations established police patrols in Darfur to watch over the conflict areas and created early – warning systems in the DR Congo.

In 2010, the UNSC adopted Resolution 1960 that "asked the Secretary – General to create a list" of those that are "suspected of committing or being responsible for sexual violence in conflicts" (3). On January 2012, Conflict – related sexual violence: report of the Secretary – General was released. The report consisted of names that were and are "suspected of being responsible" for one of the worst sexual violence in conflict areas. The report helped the member states to address this issue in post – conflict areas and the protection of other genders against sexual violence.

Country Policy and Solutions

Although there are no specific laws that condemn violence against women in Saudi Arabia, starting from 2009 (5), Saudi Arabia has been making efforts to address the issue. Statistics on violence against women as war tactics have not been reported but forms of domestic violence has been shown. Yet Saudi Arabia believes that any forms of violence against women should not be allowed and be addressed immediately. Thus, Saudi Arabia would like to propose three solutions in order to prevent this. First, Saudi Arabia believes that the international community should cooperate and establish frameworks to prevent violence against women as war tactics. Regional and international member states should hold conferences in order to cooperate and establish a framework on violence. During the conference, ways to prevent violence against women as war tactics will be addressed, along with the issue of punishment of those who were and are responsible for the sexual violence against women.

Secondly, Saudi Arabia would like countries to establish outlines of preventing and combating violence against women as war tactics by following and implementing the Comprehensive Strategy on Combating Sexual Violence. The Strategy has been established by the UN and other organizations to combat sexual violence in DR Congo; it contains "5 components" on preventing and reforming security measures within DR Congo in order to reduce the number or sexual violence.

Lastly, Saudi Arabia believes that it is important for the victims to be able to reintegrate back into the society. Therefore, Saudi Arabia would like to use the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to help educate, prevent, and reintegrate victims of sexual violence as war tactics. The IRC has helped victims of the Rwanda genocide and the victims of sexual violence and has helped them to reintegrate them back into society by providing education and medical attention. Through these solutions, Saudi Arabia hopes to prevent and stop sexual violence against women as war tactics.