UN tackles sexual violence during war

The catalyst for action seems to be the recent developments in Eastern Congo where tens of thousands of women were brutally raped and mutilated by insurgents there. this UN worker says aid for the victims is not only essential, but also prevention of rape in the first place. She says the UN could be acting on a range of fronts and the peacekeepers in Congo do more to prevent rape and officials implicated in rapes could be prevented from taking office. And she says the UN Security Council could elevate this to a more important problem as well. This is what the UN Security Council plans to do tomorrow: enshrine sexual violence in conflict as a threat to peace and security. This analyst says this will now be a political problem in addition to an economic one. This new dynamic is already in evidence and the Security Council meeting is a high profile one. Advocates say this is a strong resolution but vigilance is needed to carry out the resolution. This International Crisis Group official says that includes bringing an end to impunity. Still others are skeptical about the UN’s commitment to the issue. He believes this new action is mainly rhetoric.