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Looking Back, Moving Forward: International Approaches to Addressing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence


Publisher: Journal of Women, Politics & Policy

Author(s): Lesley Pruitt

Date: 2012

Topics: Gender, Livelihoods, Monitoring and Evaluation, Programming

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Based on a review of existing literature, this article provides an initial analysis of obstacles to addressing impunity for widespread conflict-related sexual violence. First, a background of trends of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in conflict is provided. The article then outlines why addressing impunity is important for building peace and ending conflict-related SGBV. Next, the article presents an overview of developments and mechanisms adopted by the international community in an attempt to address impunity. Yet despite these advances, conflict-related sexual violence remains widespread and impunity persists. Thus, the final section of article sets out one proposal for addressing the problem—increasing the number of women working in international peace operations through the creation of United Nations–sponsored Women's Police Service (UNWPS), which would recruit, train, and deploy women's contingents for policing in international peace operations.