Sexual Violence and Darfur: What Can Be Done?
13 December 2006

On 13 December 2006, the GCSP hosted the Alliance for Direct Action against Rape in Conflict and Crises (AllianceDARC) informal discussion on "Sexual Violence and Darfur: What Can Be Done?". The two panellists, Mr. Gibreil Ismail Mohamed Hamid, Director of the Darfur Peace and Development Centre (DPDC), and Ms. Gry Tina Tinde, Special Advisor to the High Commissioner on Gender Issues, UNHCR, began the discussion with presentations.

In his remarks, Mr.Gibreil Ismail Mohamed Hamid explained how sexual violence in Darfur was intertwined with the disruption of peace and security, calling for the involvement of United Nations peacekeeping troops to bolster the African Union mission. Finally, he underlined the difficulties in collecting accurate data on sexual violence, as victims often do not denounce their perpetrators, due to the severe cultural implications

Peace missions to conflicts, such as Darfur, inevitably have an effect on the local populations. Ms. Tina Tinde presented UNHCR's prevention of and response to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA). Ms. Tinde highlighted that persons of concern to UNHCR, were those whose lack of economic opportunities and of social and legal protection, put them at risk to SEA. Sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel has been recently addressed by the adoption of a ten point statement of commitment signed by UN agencies and NGOs on 4 December 2006.

To respond to this form of sexual violence, UNHCR has developed a range of tools and activities, such as:

•  the Code of Conduct containing the 2003 Bulletin of the Secretary General on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

•  the Handbook for the Protection of Women and Girls

•  the Standard Operating Procedures for all UNHCR operations.

Ms. Tinde underlined the necessity to involve men in preventive measures, due to their ability and positions of power to influence behaviour.

Ms. Nichole McGarry, Coordinator of AllianceDARC, presented "Sexual violence in Darfur", a report produced by AllianceDARC in association with the Save Darfur Coalition for the Day for Darfur on 10 December 2006 .

The discussion was opened to the floor with a lively question and answer session with meeting participants.