SEXUAL VIOLENCE
I N A R M E D C O N F L I C T:
I M P L I C AT I O N S F O R
THE SECURITY SECTOR
Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) calls upon
“all parties to armed conflict to take special measures
to protect women and girls from gender-based
violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual
abuse, and all other forms of violence in situations of
armed conflict”. It also emphasises the responsibility
of all States to put an end to impunity for genocide,
crimes against humanity and war crimes relating to
sexual violence. The June 2006 International Symposium
on Sexual Violence in Conflict and Beyond, convened by
the Government of Belgium, the European
Commission and UNFPA, called for “the full
engagement of the security sector, including police
and army, to prevent and respond to sexual violence in
a sensitive and effective manner“. The importance of
incorporating strategies to prevent and respond to
sexual violence in DDR and in security sector reform
processes was stressed.1
Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict. This testifies
to recognition of the immense scale of sexual violence
during armed conflicts, and a growing demand that
sexual and gender-based violence be treated as a
priority issue in deliberations on international peace
and security.
However, there has as yet been little sharing of
experiences between states as to the “special measures”
called for by the Security Council to protect women
and girls from rape in conflict, or on good practice in
addressing impunity for crimes of sexual violence in
armed conflict. Although a number of states have
developed policies to prevent sexual exploitation and
abuse by their personnel, to date they have emphasised
prohibition rather than community-based preventative
strategies. There is a serious lack of practical
understanding as to how police, courts and militaries
can integrate measures to prevent and respond to sexual
violence in armed conflict into their operations.
In recent years, women’s civil society groups and a
number of humanitarian agencies have developed
targeted responses to sexual violence in conflict. These
include specialised medical and psychological support
services. In early 2007, the UN launched a collective
This section on Implications for the Security Sector makes
linkages between the needs of survivors of conflictrelated sexual violence and the role of security sector
actors. DCAF understands the security sector as
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including all government institutions and other
entities with a role in ensuring the security of a state
and its population.2 This report focuses in particular
upon responses to conflict-related sexual violence
by police, in a post-conflict justice sector, by
peacekeepers and in DDR programmes. It also
includes a section highlighting some of the ways in
which civil society organisations contribute to
providing security.
In considering Implications for the Security Sector, the
report sets out relevant international standards as
regards security sector responses, identifies challenges
and common shortcomings in responding to conflictrelated sexual violence, and presents examples of good
or promising practices. In his In-Depth Study on all
Forms of Violence against Women, the UN SecretaryGeneral identified a number of common principles of
such practices: “… clear policies and laws that make
violence illegal; strong enforcement mechanisms;
effective and well-trained personnel; the involvement
of multiple sectors; and close collaboration with local
women’s groups, civil society organizations, academics
and professionals.”3 These criteria should guide
development and evaluation of security sector
responses to sexual violence in conflict.
Endnotes
1
2
“Brussels Call to Action to Address Sexual Violence in Conflict
and Beyond”, International Symposium on Sexual Violence in
Conflict and Beyond, Palais d’Egmont, Brussels, 21-23 June
2006: http://www.unfpa.org/emergencies/symposium06/
index.htm.
The OECD DAC Guidelines on Security System Reform and
Governance (http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/8/39/
31785288.pdf, 20-21) describe the security system as
including the following actors:
Core security actors: armed forces, police, gendarmeries,
paramilitary forces, intelligence and security services (both
military and civilian), border guards, customs authorities, and
reserve and local security units (civil defence forces, national
guards, militias).
3
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Security management and oversight bodies: the Executive;
national security advisory bodies; legislature and legislative
select committees; ministries of defence, internal affairs and
foreign affairs; national security advisory bodies; customary
and traditional authorities; financial management bodies; and
civil society organisations (civilian review boards and public
complaints commissions).
Justice and rule of law institutions judiciary; justice ministries;
prisons; criminal investigation and prosecution services;
human rights commissions and ombudsmen; customary and
traditional justice systems.
Non-statutory security forces: liberation armies, guerrilla
armies, private security companies, private military companies,
political party militias.
United Nations General Assembly, “In-depth Study on all
Forms of Violence against Women”, Report of the SecretaryGeneral, A/61/122/Add.1, 6 July 2006, §287.