WGNRR at the 3 rd Africa Conference on Sexual Rights, Abuja, Nigeria 2008

1. WGNRR at the 3rd Africa Conference on Sexual Rights, Abuja, Nigeria 2008 www.wgnrr.org

2. Access to Social Justice for Victims of Sexual Violence in Conflict SituationPresentation by Aika van der KleijCoordinator of WGNRR www.wgnrr.org

3. Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights is a network of 2000 autonomous organisations and individuals in 157 countries that since 1984 aims to achieve and support reproductive and sexual health and rights (RSHR) for women www.wgnrr.org

4. Reproductive Sexual Health and Rights (RSHR) WGNRR defines RSHR as interrelated, basic human rights which enable women to have safe, responsible and fulfilling sex lives and the self-determination to freely decide if, when and how often to have children, free from coercion, discrimination and violence. This includes the right of access to safe, legal abortion!

5. Our vision is: a world where women can enjoy their reproductive and sexual rights, free from social, political, cultural and economic oppression, in keeping with their personally held values, in dignity and in good health. Our mission is: to inform, link engage and strengthen organisations and individuals worldwide in order to effectively promote and improve the reproductive and sexual health and rights for all women and girls.

6. In order to fulfil its mission, we are: • Providing a platform for collecting, exchanging and disseminating information on RSHR. Through diverse communication tools, members will share their experiences, lessons learned, and perspectives on the linkages between RSHR and related cross-cutting issues. • Enabling collaboration and networking at different levels – grassroots, local, national, regional and global – by strengthening the network across regions through linkages to global commitments.

7. In order to fulfil its mission, we are: • Building capacity of its members to advocate for RSHR through toolkits, training, workshops and specific materials • Taking actionand facilitating and initiating campaigns to advocate for RSHR to influence the global development agenda and to create enabling social, economic, and cultural conditions to achieve these rights at all levels. • Influencing policy making to ensure that women’s reproductive and sexual health and rights are incorporated in broader social and political movements with increased political, financial, and technical support.

8. Call for Action WGNRR tries each year to launch a Call for Action. In 2008 the topic of our Call for Action is: “Women and Conflict”. It is in line with this Call for Action that WGNRR is presenting experiences from two of its members from Africa at the 3rd African Conference of Sexual Rights. One representative from the DRC that explained the situation in the DRC. One representative from Rwanda who explains the access to justice of victims of sexual violence in Rwanda.

9. Method WGNRR put out a call amongst its membership to those working in a (post) conflict zone on the theme of Women and Conflict, which is the theme of our Call for Action of 2008. We searched members from different geographical areas, different types of conflicts and different types of service provision to women and girls that are victims of sexual violence. Social justice is our focus and accountability of all perpetrators of these horrendous crimes. The work different organizations do on the promotion of women’s Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights in their respective country and conflict are being shared and used as examples in the Call for Action.

10. Colombia, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Rwanda, Northern Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo are examples of countries with current or recent conflict where violence against women has been reported and documented. In situations of war and conflict, women are extremely vulnerable and exposed to even more violence. The fact that rape is used as an instrument of war and genocide has been internationally recognised. Perpetrators from either side of the conflict usually enjoy impunity. In situations of armed conflict, women regularly face sexual violence and assault even when leaving the village or camp for daily chores such as searching for firewood, working on the fields, fetching water or going to the market.

11. Generally: Violence against women (VAW) and girls is a human rights and public health emergency worldwide. It causes mental and physical injury, exposes women and girls to diseases and forced pregnancy, increases women’s vulnerability in all spheres of their lives and, in the worst cases, ends in women’s deaths.VAW is a violation of human rights, for which governments and their institutions must be held accountable which is very difficult in a conflict country where no Rule of Law exists.

12. Woman whose breast got cut off. She was left pregnant and mutilated after rape. She isn’t able to feed her baby. Eastern DRC

13. A young girls 14years old was raped by a group of soldiers and was kicked in her private parts.

14. Findings: The different findings or experiences of the WGNRR member organizations will be combined in the Call for Action background document. The main findings are that in all conflicts several actors are victimizing women and girls by violating their bodily integrity and their human rights in one way or another. Rape (groups), mutilations, sexual slavery, forced pregnancies or numerous other crimes are committed against women and girls. Violations are motivated by many reasons linked to the war situation, but they have also been built upon the discriminatory position of women in society.

15. Findings: In all experiences shared the women face enormous obstacles in obtaining their human rights, regaining their dignity and finding somewhat of a redress. The obstacles that mostly reinforce each other and therefore further impede victims from obtaining justice, vary from social and medical, economical, security, political and legal obstacles.

16. Strengthen and collectively organize continuous lobbying directed at national and international governments and institutions in order to amend and change national legislation regarding sexual violence and the position of women. Improve access to social services for women victims of sexual violence. WGNRR is advocating in its Call for Action 2008!

17. www.wgnrr.org Interested? You are welcome to become a member, subscriber or supporter of Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights? Email us: office@wgnrr.org