INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN CONFLICT 2023: International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is observed every year on June 19 to highlight the issue of conflict-related sexual violence and inspire efforts to prevent it. According to the United Nations, “conflict-related sexual violence” includes sexual slavery, forced prostitution, rape, forced pregnancy, forced marriage, enforced sterilization, forced abortion, and other forms of sexual violence that are carried out against men, women, girls or boys who are directly or indirectly affected by a conflict.
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE 2023: THEME
The theme for this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is “bridging the gender digital divide to prevent, address and respond to conflict-related sexual violence”.
In his message for the 2023 International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, “We must ensure technology supports our efforts to prevent and end these crimes, including by increasing access and holding people to account for their actions online”.
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE 2023: HISTORY
International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence was established on June 19, 2015, by the United Nations General Assembly. It is aimed at raising awareness about the need to end conflict-related sexual violence and honouring people who are subjected to sexual violence around the world. The day was also created to pay tribute to those who strived to eradicate the crime and lost their lives doing that.
It was on June 19, 2008, when the Security Council resolution 1820 was adopted. In the resolution, the council termed sexual violence as “a tactic of war and an impediment to peacebuilding”. To commemorate the adoption of the resolution, June 19 was chosen as International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence.
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE 2023: SIGNIFICANCE
Conflicts in any part of the world are often accompanied by a range of crimes with sexual violence being one of them. Such crimes are used against people regardless of their gender to torture and terrorise them. The International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence gives an opportunity to bring this issue to light so that conflict-related sexual violence is not used as a tactic of war.
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