On August 7, 2009, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, demanded an international effort to stop armed groups from using sexual violence as a means to further their political, social, and economic agendas. The comments came during a UN Security Council meeting to discuss the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of Resolution 1820. The report, which was released last month, indicated that sexual violence in conflict areas is an ongoing and pervasive problem.
As an initial step to combat this humanitarian issue, the Secretary-General recommended that the Security Council authorize an independent commission of inquiry into sexual violence crimes. This commission would identify perpetrators of sexual violence in conflict areas, particularly in Chad, Congo, and Sudan. In each of these countries, armed groups currently use sexual violence with impunity to further their goals.
Compiled from: Edith M. Lederer, "UN chief demands halt to sexual violence," Associated Press (August 8, 2009).