Women Against Sexual Violence

Kristine St. Pierre, Research Analyst, Pearson Peacekeeping Institute, http://www.peaceoperations.org/web/la/en/default.asp

Over the last few days, I have been learning a lot but have been hoping to talk about how we can strengthen our lobbying and advocacy in New York and Geneva by linking to voices from the country and community level. This afternoon, I was intrigued and provoked by a point made by Lindora about the need to innovate – we seem to be doing the same activities and programs in the hope of reaching our goals. But, in the name of efficiency, what is it that we can do…that we can come up with together…that will be truly innovative?

UNFPA, UNHCR and the IRC are developing a standardized model for the collection of data on incidence of sexual violence in conflict-affected areas (GBVIMS).   Let me preface my remarks by saying that I appreciate that the collection of data is imperative.  This model is the product of a long and thoughtful process.  It will be an invaluable tool.

One of the weaknesses which the authors of the model identified is that the data ‘cannot be verified.’

This strikes me as a rather odd conclusion.  What would verification mean in this case? A video of the rape itself?  The testimony of the rapist?  More to the point, I can’t help thinking that perhaps our standards of verification are rather higher in this case than they are in other arenas of data collection with respect to armed conflict.  For example, disarmament processes involve the collection of data concerning the number of weapons turned in.  But, of course, in this case one cannot verify that these are the weapons used to engage in conflict.  One does not require that the guns come with a video demonstrating how they have been used.

Data collection is an extremely useful tool.  It can be an enormous help in claiming additional resources.  It can be used to leverage political, judicial and security sector reform.  But it is a tool.  It is as much a piece of strategy as are the claims that there is no sexual violence happening.  The question is not: can it be verified?  The question is: can it be used to diminish suffering and improve the conditions of people’s lives?   To put it another way, if we act as if this is true, how does our behavior change?

Data is not recognition.  Suffering, death and trauma require recognition.  And this is not it (nor does it claim to be).  While it is true that data collection will give us ‘the big picture’ in terms of trends and incidents, when we look from that distance we run the danger of losing the ethical imperative of the face to face contact with an individual instance of suffering and survival.  The rendering of the world as a data model also brings with it the risk that one could make decisions about what qualifies as a sufficient percentage amount of suffering and therefore merits intervention and assistance.  That is, what percentage of the population must be raped before we intervene?  What is our cost/benefit analysis?  Do we have a responsibility to protect only if the level of violence reaches a particular statistical benchmark?

Let us use this model, by all means.  It is an excellent tool.  It will allow us to respond to those who claim that the problem does not exist or that it only affects women and girls of a particular community or a particular type.  But keep in mind the cost of describing human suffering in this way.  That, it seems to me, is a much more worrying problem than the question: did these bloodied and battered women tell the truth?

A heavy day characterized by a small, steaming hot space and a procession of experts bringing a richness of thought and raising provocative questions that will ultimately guide the women gathered here towards developing their country-specific and overall strategies. A taste of the presentations:

Role of Peacekeepers (Kavitha Suthanthiraraj, International Coordinator, Global Action to Prevent War; and Kristine St.Pierre, Research Analyst, Pearson Peacekeeping Centre)

• In terms of making the link between peacekeeping as well as SCR 1325 and 1820, peacekeeping mandates are essentially police mandates. The secretary-general, in his report, said that sexual violence must be mandated in the work of peacekeeping missions. Where are the disconnects between the language of the mandate and what is actually implemented? How can these gaps be filled?
• Questions and suggestions for NGOs:
  (i) Since training is provided at country-level, there exists an opportunity to influence training methods
  (ii) How do we keep peacekeepers from committing sexual violence?
  (iii) How do we ensure that those perpetrating the violence are prosecuted?
  (iv) Find ways to work with national police and local policing groups where the minimal involvement of women’s organizations is leaving big gaps.
  (v) How can local NGOs engage with gender units in peacekeeping operations?

Data/information collection and reporting from field to UN Headquarters and Security Council (Mendy Marsh, UNICEF; and Karin Wachter, International Rescue Committee)

• Though processes like the secretary-general’s report on SCR 1820 demand data/information collection and reporting, we must take the safety of respondents into consideration – i.e. the benefits of data collection should outweigh the risks. We have to ensure that data cannot be tracked back to groups or individuals.
• Comments/ concerns on ways forward:
  (i) Create guidelines on best methodologiess and make sure that the strategies that are used minimize distress;
  (ii) Define the different forms of sexual violence – and have agreement on them;
  (iii) Define benchmarks on assessing the progress and effectiveness of interventions;
  (iv) Triangulate so as to have both quantitative and qualitative data;
  (v) Still no information tracking on perpetrators and their motivations;
  (vi) Qualitative data will be essential to sustaining interest and commitment to SCR 1820 and recording these testimonies is an entry point for NGOs.

Psychosocial and medical support for survivors of sexual violence (Indai Sajor, women’s rights activist and educator)
The rape and trauma of a woman is the rape of a whole community – when we talk about violence against women, we must know that she does not suffer alone: her children, her mother, her husband, suffer a well. How do you provide psychosocial support:

• Acknowledge that men are equally traumatized, even as perpetrators, and have suffered for inflicting wounds on women.
• The western world uses one-on-one counseling to treat trauma. In areas of conflict, it has to be a community-based psychosocial support that recognizes the ethnicity and structure of communities, whom they respond to in terms of leadership. Further, communities have their own rituals that must be followed on the path to cleansing and healing.Questions for NGOs
• How can NGOs work towards dealing with intergenerational trauma
• Who are the mental health care providers – are they from the community or from outside?
• What kind of support will be given to victims who are seeking justice? How will they be supported and protected from reprisal? Psychoanalysis support is a priority over any other forms of justice.
• Health care tent/camps that combine cultural and ritual events with access to medical professionals and facilities are essential because that is where data and information collection can take place.

This points are excerpts from recap notes prepared daily by Mahima Achuthan. They are still being finalized and will be available on this website, right here, as soon as they are ready.

…and I don’t think it was only because the AC failed to work…It was more because the discussion on data and information collection and reporting from field to headquarters; medical and psychosocial intervention; role of peace keepers; and legal and judicial systems were all packed in one day! Why did we do that??? Hard to explain in detail but one easy explanation is that we had to work around the schedules of the VVIPs –presidents, prime ministers, ministers and ambassadors who are all in town for the General Assembly.

More than ever before, today gave us a clearer sense of how difficult the terrain of sexual violence really is. For example, the challenges in standardizing sexual violence data and information collection and systematizing of reporting are ENORMOUS! The work around the harmonization of customary laws with international laws and human rights standards seems INSURMOUNTABLE! That doesn’t mean they are without solution. We just need to be realistic, focused, strategic and committed. The other operative words are cooperation and coordination. SMART AND KISS are also good acronyms to remember. — Mavic

Indai Sajor, women’s rights activist and educator

This is the second day of the strategy meeting on SC 1820 – addressing sexual violence in conflict… the saga continues towards the implementation of this much received resolution as it did focus in what is lacking in the broad mandate of SC 1325.. the work of women on the ground and the challenges in addressing sexual violence has been long said by a number of women’s organizations working in conflict situations…now that the Security Council has taken on this issue seriously there is a renewed commitment and energy towards the SC 1820… the SRSG post in now going to be tabled and eventually pass… its mandate and focus on sexual violence in conflict is a much needed focus in an issue that can be extended to make peacebuilding process accountable to work on the issue…the mandate of sexual violence can broaden the discourse to include peace and security which after all is very much inter-linked with sexual and gender based violence … the resolution evolves to now another discussion known as 1820 +1 … we can go all the way to plus 3 the important thing is that we are celebrating the attention for so long denied on sexual violence and hopefully this can evolve the way the children in conflict garnered .. complete with the reporting mechanisms to the security council…Indai

The UN Organizational Chart is available at
http://www.un.org/aboutun/chart_en.pdf

If you don’t have time to check it tonight, copies of the chart will be available tomorrow (morning session).

Thank you for a very informative session.

Best,
Victoria