S Sudan has history of GBV in times of conflict, study says Friday, 20 May 2011 12:42 Regina Kwaje Features Gender-based violence (GBV) is defined as physical, sexual and psychological harm to either men or women and includes any form of violence or abuse that targets people on the basis of their sex, although women and girls are usually the primary victims.
A study for the Enough Project carried out by the Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic at Unites State's Yale Law School in 2009 reports that southern Sudan has a history of GBV during times of conflict and instability. This study examines the extent and the sources of gender-based violence in southern Sudan and analyzes the ability of GBV survivors to secure justice. It states that, "southern Sudan's women and girls are being raped but these violations rarely come to the attention of the authorities." Emilia Konga, the Acting Director in Central Equatoria state's Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare says, "in southern Sudan, there are still many cases of GBV happening in our communities that have not been followed." Although more comprehensive reporting on rape in recent years does not exist, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Sudan stated that human rights monitors working in Southern Sudan documented 21 rapes just in the period of September 2007 to January 2008. Victims were frequently beaten and sometimes abducted; six of the victims were children. The majority of the women whose rape cases were described by the Rapporteur did not report the rapes to the police. GBV experienced by women and girls across the world includes battering, marital rape, sexual violence, dowry-related violence, female infanticide, honor crimes, early marriage, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, sexual harassment in the workplace and educational institutions, commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking of girls and women, and violence perpetrated against domestic workers. The perpetrator of the violence could be a domestic partner or an outsider. If a family member is the abuser, it makes it more difficult to identify the problem as it is happens behind closed doors. These victims suffer in silence. It is however important to understand that such violence is complex and the societal implications and their impact on victims must be taken into serious considerations. Alice Oleya, the Gender and Planning Officer of Community Empowerment and Progress Organization, says as much as the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare together with its partners try to raise public awareness on their rights in reporting cases of Gender Based Violence to authorities, many people still fear to file reports. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
