Rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute war crimes, the UN Security Council affirmed in a vote on Thursday.
"This world body now acknowledges that sexual violence in conflict zones is indeed a security concern," said US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, who introduced the US-sponsored resolution. "We affirm that sexual violence profoundly affects not only the health and safety of women, but the economic and social stability of their nations."
The resolution sets up UN procedures to monitor sexual violence in conflict zones; tasks the secretary-general with reporting progress toward their implementation in one year; and calls for UN sanctions on violators.
A similar measure was introduced last year but failed after China, Russia, and South Africa said sexual violence was an unfortunate consequence of war that is already addressed by several UN agencies and not a matter of international peace and security.
When the measure was brought forward again this year, several high-ranking female officials - including Rice, French Secretary of State for Human Rights Rama Yade, and British Attorney General Patricia Scotland - were on hand to press for its passage.
The resolution also tackled the issue of abuse by the UN's own peacekeepers. Despite UN attempts to stamp out the problem, some of its peacekeepers and staff members have been accused of sexual exploitation while on duty in conflict zones.
While Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon denounced these incidents and called for "zero tolerance" of them, he said the nations supplying the peacekeeping troops must prosecute their own soldiers accused of such crimes because the UN lacks authority to do so.
06/20/08
GLOBAL: UN Security Council Says Sexual Violence Akin to War Crimes
Source: Los Angeles Times:: Maggie Farley; Courtesy of the CDC National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention