The United Nations reported a 50 percent increase in verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence from 2022 to 2023. It is evident that the international community must intensify efforts to prevent and respond to all forms of gender-based violence. This includes promoting access to immediate and long-term comprehensive services, as well as fully funding and making accessible survivor-centered humanitarian assistance.
"We owe it to victims and survivors to support trauma-informed approaches to justice and accountability, including transitional justice measures," stated an official. "We must hold perpetrators accountable and condemn sexual violence wherever and whenever it occurs, and we must prevent conflict-related sexual violence and address the root causes, including gender equity and inequality and discriminatory norms, that lead to gender-based violence."
On this International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, the United States recommits to working with the international community to prevent, punish, and end conflict-related sexual violence. The challenge remains immense, but global cooperation is crucial in putting survivors at the forefront and breaking the cycle of conflict.
