Ministers attend international gatherings
Mon 09 Jun 2014
A Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict is being held in London on 10-13 June 2014. It follows the launch of the Declaration of Commitment ...
A Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict is being held in London on 10-13 June 2014. It follows the launch of the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict at the UN in September 2013. Said to be the biggest global meeting on the issue ever convened, the summit will bring together participants from government, legal, military and judicial practitioners and representatives from multilateral organisations, NGOs and civil society. An animation has also been created.
The aims of the summit include to create a "sense of irreversible movement" towards ending the use of rape and sexual violence in conflict, to deliver a set of practical agreements, and to communicate that sexual violence is not an inevitable part of war. It seeks to develop specific actions in four areas:
- To improve investigations/documentation of sexual violence in conflict;
- To provide greater support and assistance and reparation for survivors, including child survivors, of sexual violence;
- To ensure sexual and gender based violence responses and the promotion of gender equality are fully integrated in all peace and security efforts, including security and justice sector reform; and
- To improve international strategic co-ordination.
Justice Minister Judith Collins will attend and speak. Minister Collins will highlight New Zealand’s work to prevent sexual violence and improve women’s participation in addressing peace and security within the Pacific.
Associate Minister for Social Development Tariana Turia is representing New Zealand at the 2014 Global Summit of Women in Paris. Minister Turia will also attend a series of meetings and site visits with representatives from government and the community in areas of housing, inequality and family violence prevention, in London and Hawaii. Minister Turia will also travel to New York to the United Nations to deliver New Zealand’s national statement at the meeting of the Conference of States Parties, on the Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities.
Sexual violence survivors launch global advocacy and support network, The Guardian, 13.06.2014
Collins to speak against violence at UK summit, Beehive, 06.06.2014
Judith Collins to attend sexual violence summit, TV One, 09.06.2014
Image: iStock