Foreign Secretary William Hague and Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Angelina Jolie opened the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict today.
The Summit will welcome governments from over 100 countries, over 900 experts, NGOs, Faith leaders, and representatives from international organisations across the world. It is the biggest ever international meeting on this issue. It demonstrates the global commitment to end sexual violence in conflict and to take decisive action against this crime.
The Foreign Secretary pledged a further £6 million to support survivors of sexual violence in conflict to rebuild their lives and communities.
Opening the Summit, the Foreign Secretary said: “From the abolition of slavery to the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty, we have shown that the international community can tackle vast global problems in a way that was once considered to be impossible. There is power in numbers and if we unite behind this cause we can create an unstoppable momentum and consign this vile abuse to history.”
Angelina Jolie added: “We need to shatter that culture of impunity and make justice the norm, not the exception, for these crimes. We need political will, replicated across the world, and we need to treat this subject as a priority. We need to see real commitment and go after the worst perpetrators, to fund proper protection for vulnerable people, and to step in to help the worst-affected countries. We need all armies, peacekeeping troops and police forces to have prevention of sexual violence in conflict as part of their training.”
