Description:

In many conflicts around the world today, civilians and non-combatants alike continue to suffer at the hands of parties to armed conflict. The ongoing, persistent, and widespread use of sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflicts as a tactic of war is a flagrant and unacceptable violation of international humanitarian and human rights law. It is an incontrovertible truth that women and girls are disproportionately affected by sexual and gender-based violence. This is especially true for those who experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, and who are from marginalized groups such as refugees and migrants, internally displaced persons, indigenous women, and persons living with disabilities. Governments, international organisations, and civil society must stand in solidarity with survivors not just in words, but also through actions by actively defending their human rights and agency. As part of these efforts, Canada is organising a roundtable on the theme of “Promoting Credible, Ethical, and Transparent Information-Sharing by Human Rights Defenders to Support Justice for Victims and Survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV).” This side event will take place on the margins of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s 47th Regular Session.

Participants:

• Abid Shamdeen, ExecutiveDirector, Nadia’s Initiative
• Akila Radhakrishnan, President, Global Justice Center
• Jina Moore, Editor In Chief, Guernica Magazine
• Yared Hailemariam, Director, Ethiopian Human Rights Defender Center