Lessons Learned from 25 Years of Resistance and Remembrance
Communities Drive Change
Dignity in Documentation: Breaking Silences around Sexual Violence in Conflict With the rise in armed conflicts around the world comes a significant increase in conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). While the stigma surrounding these crimes means they are vastly underreported, their prevalence is unquestionably widespread and varied. One in three women in northern Uganda are victims of CRSV, including through forced marriage and rape. In Haiti , political instability and gang violence have left 88% of displaced women without any income, prompting over 10% of them to consider or engage in sex work to make ends meet. And the impact of CRSV on men and boys is increasingly evident in conflict settings such as Ukraine, where it is estimated that only 25 percent of CRSV cases against men are reported. No matter the context, the impact of these violations is long-lasting and survivors’ needs – including medical and reproductive care, psychosocial and reintegration services, and access to justice and reparations – are many and
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“For too long, survivors of conflict- related sexual violence have been sidelined – silenced by stigma and shame, and also by outdated, if well-intentioned, aid mechanisms that eclipse their agency. The Dignity in Documentation Initiative aims to change that by equipping survivors with the skills they need to advocate for their rights, document their stories, and advance informal and formal transitional justice processes in their communities.”
— Ereshnee Naidu, Senior Director for the Global Transitional Justice Initiative at ICSC
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