International Day for the elimination of sexual violence in conflict was established by the UN General Assembly in order to attract additional attention to the problem of sexual violence as well either in international or in internal conflicts, regardless of their nature and character.
The goal of international organizations, and also state-members of the UN is in to promote the prevention of such conflicts, and in the case of its occurrence – to promote quick localization and cessation. In addition to the tasks contributing to the resolution of the conflict, a lot of related problems are solved, one of which is sexual violence.
The term “conflict-related sexual violence” refers to rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, enforced sterilization, forced marriage and any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity perpetrated against women, men, girls or boys that is directly or indirectly linked to a conflict.
In spite of the signature of the international documents prohibiting any violence against a person, including sexual one, cases of violence towards women, men, girls and boys, having a direct or indirect impact are still a sad reality in some countries and in the areas of any armed conflict. Moreover, in the range of countries, the practise of sexual violence is used as a tactic of threatening in the course of the war, along with desecration and sexual slavery.
19 June, the UN annually appeals to the leaders of states, countries, which are involved in armed actions, to the world community with the call to combat violence, to do all possible to prevent its occurrence. The role of humanitarian organizations, medics, lawyers, peacekeepers in suppressing the practice of sexual violence in war, as well as assistance to the victims of violence in the conflict zone is emphasized.
