Guatemala shares best practices at Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Conference
Ten years since the launch of Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) and as a follow-up to the 2014 Global Summit, the UK hosted a PSVI Conference 28-29 November.
The thematic conference and regional sessions focused on four main themes, strengthening the global response to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV), preventing CRSV, strengthening accountability and justice, and supporting survivors and children born of sexual violence in conflict.
The conference gathered Foreign Ministers, high level representatives from international organisations, faith and belief leaders, and civil society, including survivors of sexual violence, to drive forward global action to tackle CRSV.
At the conference James Cleverly, UK Foreign Secretary announced the new three-year strategy to address sexual violence in conflict, which will be supported by up to £12.5 million of new funding.
Guatemala was represented at the Conference by Rosario Jolón, member of the Centre for Legal Action on Human Rights (CALDH).
Jolón participated as a panellist to a session highlighting the need to support the inclusion of conflict-related sexual violence prevention and response into mediation and peace processes. Jolón, a Maya Kaqchikel leader and women’s rights defender shared her vast experience as member of CALDH on accompanying and facilitating processes with women and men who were victims and survivors of Guatemala’s internal war.
Panellists from Cyprus, Colombia, Bangladesh, and Pakistan joined Jolón. All sharing their views and identifying opportunities and challenges of incorporating CRSV considerations into mediation and peace processes in order to deliver for survivors, and what can be done to ensure this is successfully replicated in a variety of different contexts.
A key output of the conference was the launch of the new Political Declaration to galvanise the international community and raise the bar on better prevention and response to CRSV.