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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 11:41 pm
Time: 11:41 pm
Results for sexual violence (africa)
4 results foundAuthor: Nordas, Ragnhild Title: Sexual Violence in African Conflicts Summary: This policy brief summarizes key findings from a pilot study of conflict-related sexual violence in conflicts in 20 African countries, encompassing 177 armed conflict actors – state armies, militias, and rebel groups. The study finds that, in Africa, sexual violence is: Mostly indiscriminate Committed only by some conflict actors Often committed by state armies Often committed in years with low levels of killings Often committed post-conflict The present study forms part of a larger research initiative on Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict (SVAC). The aim of the SVAC project is to collect data that may be used to facilitate the prevention of sexual violence. To achieve this goal, the SVAC research group recommends: (a) that the pilot presented here be extended to the global level, (b) that future research focus on the location and timing of sexual violence; and (c) that increasing attention be paid towards policies of preventing sexual violence in conflict as well as post conflict situations. Details: Oslo: Centre for the Study of Civil War, Peace Research Institute, 2011. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: CSCW Policy Brief 01, 2011: Accessed February 22, 2011 at: http://www.prio.org/sptrans/2085163435/SVAC_policy_brief_Sexual%20Violence%20in%20African%20Conflicts.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Africa URL: http://www.prio.org/sptrans/2085163435/SVAC_policy_brief_Sexual%20Violence%20in%20African%20Conflicts.pdf Shelf Number: 120845 Keywords: Sexual AssaultSexual Violence (Africa) |
Author: Reeve, Richard Title: Human Security in the Mano River Union: Empowering Women to Counter Gender-Based Violence in Border Communities Summary: Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) has been one of the major legacies of the 14-year (1989-2003) regional conflict in the Mano River Union (MRU). In response, in 2008 International Alert and its partners designed an initiative targeting war-affected communities in nine border areas of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. This Human Security in the MRU project has challenged knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning SGBV in order to reduce perpetration and the stigmatisation of survivors, and provided information, counselling and advocacy in order to guide men and women through prevention and redress actions. This report aims to capture the experiences of the project in the context of work in three interlinked but quite specific country contexts. It looks at the extent of SGBV and domestic violence as experienced in the target communities, details the challenges and best practices of project staff in their attempts to raise awareness and change attitudes and practices, and analyses the particular challenges of providing security and accessing justice (statutory or customary) in the various target communities. It concludes with a series of recommendations for the improved provision of security and justice for women, girls and other vulnerable groups within the MRU. Details: London: International Alert, 2010. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 12, 2011 at: http://www.international-alert.org/sites/default/files/publications/201005HumanSecurityManoRiverUnionEN.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Africa URL: http://www.international-alert.org/sites/default/files/publications/201005HumanSecurityManoRiverUnionEN.pdf Shelf Number: 122062 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceSexual Violence (Africa)Violence Against Women |
Author: Keesbury, Jill Title: Comprehensive Responses to Sexual Violence in East and Southern Africa: Lessons Learned from Implementation Summary: Worldwide, an estimated 1 in every 3 women will experience some form of sexual or gender-based violence (SGBV) in their lifetime. Defined broadly, SGBV includes all forms of physical, psychological, economic and sexual violence (SV) that are related to the survivor’s gender or gender role in a society or culture. Recent population-based surveys demonstrate that SGBV is common in the East and Southern Africa region and cuts across nationality, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. SGBV affects a large proportion of women across the region; for example, 47 percent of Zambian women report ever experiencing physical violence and 59 percent of Ethiopian women report suffering SV (Figure 1). In many cases the perpetrator is known to the survivor, and intimate partners (such as husbands and boyfriends) are frequently identified as the perpetrators. Other data indicate that girls in the region frequently experience coerced sexual initiation which is often viewed as a normal part of relationships. Women and girls who suffer SGBV are more likely to be infected with HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and experience other reproductive health problems. Research indicates that the risk of HIV infection following forced sex is likely to be higher than following consensual sex, especially among children. This increased risk is especially pronounced in the high HIV-prevalence settings of sub-Saharan Africa Data from Demographic and Health Surveys have shown that women who have suffered violence are twice as likely to have an STI than women who have not. Moreover, a woman’s risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) is increased if she discloses her HIV status to a partner, particularly in a discordant relationship. Studies from across the world have found that girls and young women who previously experienced sexual coercion are significantly less likely to use condoms, and more likely to experience genital tract infection symptoms, unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion. Women who experience IPV are more likely to use contraception secretly or prevented from using it, and are more likely to become pregnant as adolescents. Women who are abused during pregnancy are more likely to suffer depression, bleeding, and poor maternal weight gain. Over the past decade, many African countries have begun to recognize the importance of both preventing SGBV and responding to the needs of SGBV survivors at a national level. However, in the absence of a strong, regionally-relevant evidence base, these national programs have tended to adopt strategies that have proven successful in the high resource settings of Europe and North America. The feasibility and sustainability of such approaches is not well-established in countries where access to with limited financial and human resources. Many countries in Africa have recognised that they must address SGBV if they are to make progress toward human development goals, including significant reductions in poverty, HIV incidence, and maternal and infant mortality by 2015. Organizations have tried various approaches to SGBV response, including preventing and reducing occurrence, linking to existing HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health services, and strengthening the capacities of the police, judicial, and social services sectors to improve psychosocial support and legal actions. However, countries typically have concentrated on one or two sectors that focus on adult survivors’ immediate needs without formal mechanisms for coordination or follow-up, or overarching national policies to hold all relevant sectors accountable. Until recently, there has been very little evidence in the region on how to effectively address SGBV taking into account local resource, cultural, and political realities. Since 2006, the Population Council has provided technical assistance and conducted research to strengthen the evidence base on SGBV programming in sub-Saharan Africa. These activities have created an active network of partners from across sub-Saharan Africa, who are developing, implementing and evaluating core elements of a comprehensive, multisectoral response model (see Figure 2). This model incorporates the overlapping and complementary responsibilities of three core sectors: health, police and justice, and social service sectors. It also recognizes that survivors require access to all services, but that it may not be feasible, appropriate, or cost-effective to deliver all services in one location. Details: Lusaka, Zambia: The Population Council, 2011. 8p. Source: Policy Brief from Population Council: Internet Resource: Accessed April 24, 2012 at http://www.svri.org/SGBVPolicyBriefPhase1.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Africa URL: http://www.svri.org/SGBVPolicyBriefPhase1.pdf Shelf Number: 125059 Keywords: Female Victims (Africa)Gender Based Violence (Africa)Sexual Violence (Africa) |
Author: Nainar, Vahida Title: Litigation Strategies for Sexual Violence in Africa Summary: This paper is a manual that examines the different legal options available to a victim/survivor of sexual violence or a rights group on her behalf. Although these legal options serve the overall goal of justice, they have different requirements of documentation, need different levels of victim participation and focus on a specific aspect of the remedy. The Manual aims to provide an overview of the legal options available to women to pursue justice for sexual violence and discusses the legal strategies that influence the choice of any given option. The overview of the legal options at the domestic level are provided by laying out laws and systems typical of the three broad types of legal systems in Africa – the common law system, the civil law system and Islamic law. For options at regional and international levels, the Manual lays out the basics of various regional and international human rights mechanisms and the instruments applying international humanitarian and criminal law. From a discussion of the practical possibilities or impediments at the domestic level; the decisions of the regional and international human rights mechanisms; and the judgments of the regional and international courts and tribunals emerge strategies that women and victims of sexual violence may employ in their pursuit of justice, with varying degree of potential success. Details: London: The Redress Trust, 2012. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 25, 2012 at: http://www.uianet.org/sites/default/files/VAWManual27Aug2012_1.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Africa URL: http://www.uianet.org/sites/default/files/VAWManual27Aug2012_1.pdf Shelf Number: 126446 Keywords: RapeSex OffensesSexual AssaultSexual Violence (Africa) |