Preventing sexual and gender-based violence: the role of security and justice sector reform

Briefing for the Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict Summit, London, June 2014

This briefing, compiled in advance of the Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict Summit in London, UK in June 2014, sets out Saferworld’s recommendations for taking commitments on preventing sexual violence from word to action, with a particular focus on the role of security and justice sector reform.

Preventing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is inevitably complex, and actors at local, national and international levels can often feel daunted by the scale of the challenge and how to act effectively in preventing SGBV. Saferworld would emphasise that a large number of international agreements already exist which commit governments to taking specific measures to prevent SGBV. Despite progressive policies and high level commitments, overall progress on implementation has been slow, owing to a lack of political will and inadequate accountability mechanisms. More must now be done to implement these policies, and civil society organisations must be seen as essential partners in translating international and national level polices into real change for the hundreds and thousands of people who have been affected by or are at risk of SGBV. The Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict Summit in June 2014 is an important opportunity to turn global attention to implementation.

Recommendations

Prevention efforts must address the root causes of SGBV, including gender inequality and power imbalances between women and men; and by challenging patriarchal attitudes and harmful notions of masculinities.

In areas affected by conflict, ensure efforts to prevent SGBV are designed to be conflict-sensitive: that is, they do not exacerbate conflict dynamics, but aim to build peace.

Integrate a gender perspective into security and justice provision to ensure that security and justice providers are effective in tackling SGBV.

Support the inclusion of targets to reduce violence against all social groups and to eliminate violence against women and girls in the post-2015 development framework.

“More must now be done to implement these policies, and civil society organisations must be seen as essential partners in translating international and national level polices into real change for the hundreds and thousands of people who have been affected by or are at risk of SGBV.”