On occasion of the International Women's Day, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) calls on the German Federal Government to make the protection of women from violence in armed conflicts a priority of its G7 Presidency. "Given the ongoing violence against women and girls in armed conflicts in Iraq, in the Eastern Ukraine, Darfur, South Sudan, Congo, Nigeria, Mali, India and Burma, the women in conflict zones need better protection," the STP stated in Göttingen on Thursday. "The German Federal government should use its G7 Presidency to show more commitment for the rights of women in armed conflicts. The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 was adopted 15 years ago – but has still not been implemented."

According to resolution 1325, which was adopted by the Security Council on October 31, war crimes against women must be prosecuted consistently. Further, there must be better protection in regions of conflict – and there must be more possibilities for women to take part in peace negotiations and reconstruction.

When Great Britain held the G7 Presidency, there were exemplary attempts to try and abolish sexual violence in conflicts. Thus, the British government organized a global summit in June 2014, focusing on an end to sexual violence in conflicts. US-actress Angelina Jolie had received worldwide attention for her dedicated pleadings at the conference. "Germany signed the action plan that was adopted at the conference, but there have been no substantial initiatives by now," said Ulrich Delius, the STP's Africa-consultant.

However, the tens of thousands of victims of sexual violence in Iraq, in the Eastern Ukraine, Darfur, South Sudan, Congo, Mali and Nigeria are in urgent need of therapeutic assistance to address the traumatic experiences. Also, women's interests do not play a significant role in peace initiatives for the conflict areas, although Germany is directly involved in some of the peace processes. Victims of sexual violence still find it hard to obtain justice it they turn to law enforcement agencies, the police or to courts. Some of Germany's trusted partners, such as Sudan, even denigrate the victims of violence, refuse to open legal proceedings or decide to imprison critics who denounce war crimes. "If the UN Resolution 1325 and the action plan of the London summit in 2014 are to be supported, it is not enough to remain silent. There must be consistent measures to strengthen the rights of women and girls in armed conflicts," said Delius.

In Nigeria, where the terrorist group Boko Haram uses girls from the age of 7 years as suicide bombers, the human rights violations are especially dramatic. Further, the extremists of the "Islamic State" have already abducted and abused hundreds of Yezidi women in Iraq. Women are also regularly attacked in the civil war against the Maoist Naxalites in India as well as in the conflicts in the minority regions of neighboring Burma.

Header Photo: Flickr/Dietmar Temps