Rape as a tactic of war has been used systematically and deliberately for centuries. It creates shame and stigma and has been protected by almost complete impunity.

However, the past two decades have seen great leaps forward in international law, culminating in the Statute of the International Criminal Court, which includes a broad range of sexual violence crimes. The UN Security Council has also recognized that sexual violence is a threat to international peace and security.

The shift has been seismic and the message clear: impunity for crimes against women must stop.

However, the challenge of making this shift meaningful in the lives of millions of women living in conflict and post-conflict countries is not to be under-estimated. Investigations and prosecutions of crimes against women are still not receiving the priority and investment they deserve.

Supporting women to rebuild their lives

As well as increasing prosecutions, implementing comprehensive reparations programmes for women is a priority. Through providing support for women’s livelihoods, such programmes can help women to recover from sexual violence and other crimes and to achieve their rights in post-conflict contexts.

The period following conflict is characterized not just by enormous challenges, but also by significant opportunities. It is a time of profound political transformation in which important groundwork for achieving justice for women can be laid.