The CRSV crisis is deepened, reflecting the widening of the scope of war in the world. There were more than 4,600 cases of sexual violence linked to conflicts in 2024Marking an increase of 25% compared to 2023. And these data, Ms. Patten, underline, is a chronic sub-competition, only reflecting the cases verified by the UN.
In the midst of a general increase in the CRSV, sexual violence against children increased by 35% disturbing in the past year, with victims as young as a year.
The report extends over 21 situations of concern, with the greatest number of cases recorded in the Central African Republic, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Haiti, Somalia and South Sudan.
In addition, parties in a credible manner of having committed or authorized the CRSV, there are new announcements in the DRC, Libya and the Palestinian territory occupied.
This crisis has a disproportionate impact on women and girls, who constantly represent more than 90% of the verified cases, such as 92% this year.
Report trends
Apart from the figures, Ms. Patten explained many trends concerning the report.
Firstly, the women and girls displaced and refugees are exposed to increased risks of sexual violence, which inhibits their yield safely.
Food insecurity also increases the risk of sexual violence because belligerent parties restrict humanitarian access
In addition, armed groups use sexual violence to consolidate the control of territorial and natural resources and to encourage the recruitment of combatants.
In particular, the CRSV also persists in formal and informal detention establishments worldwide.
Finally, as funding reductions cause the United Nations peace activities, the capacity of the United Nations system to reach and support CRSV survivors has decreased considerably.
Forced to do more with less
While global military spending in just 24 hours exceeds what is allocated in one year to approach the CRSV and the needs continue to increase, Ms. Patten stressed that “the women’s first-line organizations go from sub-financed to not funded”.
Apart from the United Nations peacekeeping missions, which has reduced their capacities, funding reductions caused shelters for survivors, medical supplies for rape victims to be exhausted and clinics close in the world.
In major hot conflicts such as Sudan, Ukraine, Ethiopia and Gaza, where health systems have been decimated, “Humanitarian organizations forced to do more and more with less and less. “”
“If we are serious about peace, we must finance the institutions that make peace possible. If we are serious about security, we must reaffirm the rule of law and hold responsible for those who commit, order or tolerate serious violations, including the crime of atrocity of sexual violence linked to conflicts, “she urged.
Action plan
Ms. Patten said that her mandate was pursuing three lines of response: promoting compliance, improving the provision of services and strengthening guarantees against impunity.
In improving delivery, she pointed out that the inter-ages network entitled Action not against sexual violence in conflictsThat she chairs, was “really transforming” in her response by advocacy, strengthening knowledge and joint operations on the ground and has reached thousands of survivors in 18 conflict zones.
As the demand for services prevails over the supply of resources, “any inability to maintain investment, any turning back on established standards or any detangling of existing architecture, not only would betray the survivors, but would embrace the authors more,” concluded Ms. Patten.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
