UN Security Council Resolution 1820 – It’s About Time

UN Security Council UN Security Council Resolution 1820 Its About Time

Well, here’s news that I think the blogsphere should be buzzing over as something that was long overdue. This past Thursday, the UN Security council unanimously passed Resolution 1820 which demands the “immediate and complete cessation by all parties to armed conflict of all acts of sexual violence against civilians”, including children and going so far as to state that “rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity or a constitutive act with respect to genocide”. This means that armies and their leaders who are accused of such acts can now be tried for committing crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

But the resolution didn’t stop there. It went on to demand that all parties involved in “armed conflict” take immediate action to protect all civilians through such measures as taking disciplinary action against sexual offenders, upholding the concept of command responsibility for the actions of their soldiers, and removal of any armed forces personnel with a prior history of sexual violence. The resolution also asked that the Secretary-General put together a report by June 30, 2009 reporting on the implementation of this resolution including a list of conflicts where sexual violence against civilian populations is still widely in use as well as a list of new measures to help minimize the risk of sexual violence against women and children. The Secretary-General is also expected to formulate new guidelines to improve the ability of UN peacekeeping operations to protect women and children from all forms of sexual violence, and this includes the protection from such acts being committed by the UN peacekeeping force itself.

I’m sure all of us have read the horror stories – from Bosnia to various African states – where the use of sexual violence against women, and even young girls, has been used repeatedly to instill fear and humiliate the opposing ethnic and/or religious group, if not also simply because these perpetrators are vile creatures (I really hate when people refer to such individuals as animals. Animals act out only on an instinctual level as a means of either survival or protection. Such atrocities are never done for these reasons). The fact that the UN has finally attributed this to be on par with crimes against humanity is a great step forward and a long overdue recognition of the severity of this crime against the fundamental rights of all women, girls included.

And yes, while it is true that this one resolution won’t bring about a stop to sexual violence against women today, it’s still an important step because it doesn’t just say this is a bad thing and we frown upon it. Rather, the measure itself acknowledges that this has to be the first of many steps taken to protect women and children where ever they are against such violent measures.

It gives me hope that we will soon see measures being brought forth against female genital mutilation and so-called ‘honour killings’, two other travesties committed against women and young girls without reproach. With the UN finally addressing this important issue, I’d like to believe that we’re one step closer to that day when all women on our little planet are treated with the respect, dignity, and treatment they rightly deserve.