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Date Added to Site: 24th October 2006 |
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Short Summary
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| Title |
Our Bodies, Their Battleground: Gender Based Violence in Conflict Zones
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| Author |
United Nations Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) |
| Publication Date |
September 2004 |
| Publisher |
United Nations Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) |
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Short Summary
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An estimated half a million women were raped during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and 50 percent of all women in Sierra Leone were subjected to sexual violence, including rape, torture and sexual slavery during the conflict. In Liberia, an estimated 40 percent of all girls and women have fallen victim to abuse. Amnesty International now considers rape a commonly used as a tool for "ethnic cleansing", including through the forced impregnation of girls which can change the ethnicity of the family line. Rape is also used to humiliate and demoralise families and communities. This briefing outlines key issues around gender based violence (which distinguishes violence that targets individuals or groups on the basis of their gender) in situations of conflict. These include, the necessity of confidentiality, as reporting can put the victim in danger if found out, and the responsibilities of key actors such as humanitarian groups and States. The document further outlines international instruments for redress and perpetrator impunity.
Document Size: 2,000 KB
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| Summary Source |
(Summary adapted from the resource) |
| Complete Document |
 View PDF (Portable Document Format)
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