1. A Time To Act- Combating Sexual Violence in Syria and Iraq
Thursday November 6, 2014 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
American Red Cross Board of Governors Hall
Synopsis by Neville Naidoo| Physicians for Human Rights
Dr. Sarah Theresa McGhee| American Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Division
1. Multi FacetedApproach to Credible Discussion
To combat sexual,genderbasedviolencewe needastrategybasedoneducation.Althoughthe
international communityhasmade progresssince the establishmentof The International
Criminal Courtviathe Rome Statutes in1998, documentingsexual andgenderbasedviolent
crime duringconflictstill remainsachallenge. OnNovember6,2014 the International
HumanitarianLawsectorof the AmericanRedCrosshosted,incollaborationwith Physiciansfor
Human Rights, the WashingtonWorkingGrouponthe International Criminal Court,Global
GenderProgram(ElliotSchool of International Affairs)andAmericanUniversity-Washington
College of Law, a conference addressingthe complex issuessurroundingSGBV.“A Time to Act:
CombatingSexual Violence inSyriaandIraq” includedfive expertpanelistonSGBV from
academia,international non-governmentalorganizations,the UnitedStatesgovernment,and
humanrightsadvocacy groups.The conference andround-tablediscussiongenerateda
progressive dialogueamongattendeesandcontributedtothe broaderconversationonSGBV in
social media.
Panelist
AislingSwaine,Ph.D.:@AislingSwaine
Dr. Swaine isan Associate Professorof Practice of InternationalAffairs,atGeorge Washington
University,ElliotSchool of International Affairsfocusingonwomen,securityanddevelopment.
She isa visitingFellowatthe Transitional Justice Institute,Universityof Ulsterandwas
previouslyaHauserGlobal Fellowatthe Transitional Justice Institute,Universityof Ulster.
SucharitaS. K. Varanasi,JD:@suchskv
SucharitaVaranasi isMediCaptProjectManager & SeniorProgramOfficeratPhysiciansfor
Human Rightswhere she leadseffortsonhumanrightsandtechnology,primarilyfocusingon
the developmentof MediCapt.
Jane E. Stromseth:@Statedept
Jane StromsethservesasDeputytothe Ambassador-at-Large,Office of Global Criminal Justice
at the US Departmentof State.
SunjeevBery:@SunjeevBery
SunjeevBeryservesasAdvocacyDirectorforMiddle EastNorthAfricaissuesatAmnesty
International USA.

2. SusanaSaCouto:@auwcl
SusanaSaCoutois Directorof the War CrimesResearchOffice (WCRO) atthe American
Univeristy WashingtonCollege of Law (WCL),whichpromotesthe developmentand
enforcementof international criminal andhumanitarianlaw.
Linksto conference relatedsocial mediasites
TwitterHashtag: #SGBVandConflict
Humanityinthe Midst of War: American RedCrossblogrelatedtothe lawsof armedconflict
(LOAC):http://bit.ly/1z4LTZY
Youtube recordingof the conference:
http://bit.ly/1uW0euk
http://lawsofarmedconflict.com/2014/11/14/conversations-on-combating-sexual-violence/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XxRSTI63os#t=5104
2. ContextuallyFramingthe Problem
Sexual andgenderbasedviolence isatacticof conflictrecognizedbythe UN SecurityCouncil
and ismanifestedindifferenttypologiesof violence—bothphysical andstructural.
ProsecutingSGBV ischallengingdue todifficultiescollectingevidence.Theseinclude:
 a lack physicianswhoare available andproperlytrainedinforensicmedical
documentation andthe absence of properstorage facilitiesforphysical evidence
 victimsfearingretribution—includingshamming—andthereforenotproviding
necessarytestimony
 local justice systemsthatare not “victimcentered”
 victimsnothavingadequate social supporttotake advantage of judicial assistance(i.e.,
womennotbeingable toleave theirchildrenalone inarefugee camptotravel to
anotherlocationforassistance)
 interference inthe chainof custodyof evidence
Thislack of documentationleadsto grossunder-reportingof SGBV inconflictzones.
3. SuggestedSolutionsfrom the Panel of Experts
Panelistsagreedthatproperandefficientdocumentationwasthe keytosuccessful prosecution.
Theyeach providedsome suggestionsthatif implemented,wouldincrease the rate of
prosecution.

3.  The identityof the datacollectorisextremelyimportant
 More physiciansthattreatpatientsinconflictzonesshouldbe trainedinforensic
medical documentation—theyshouldalsobe familiarwiththe StandardMedical
Certificate thatcanbe usedininternationalcriminal courts
 Due to a lackof secure storage facilities forforensicevidenceandbecause of threatsto
a physician’s safetywhenincustodyof evidence,PhysiciansforHumanRightsis
encouragingthe use of mobile technologysuchasMediCapt.
 A BestPracticesGuide forsecuringthe chainof custodyneedstobe advanced and
disseminated
 The international communityneedstocontinue tosupportinnovative interventions
such as Mobile Courts
 Organizationscollectingevidence of SGBV needtobe collaboratingwithother
organizationstoshare bestpracticesandinformation
 International organizationsmustalsocollaborate withlocal law enforcementagencies
 Membersof armedgroups mustbe trainedthat SGBV is not an acceptable/inevitable
consequence of armedconflict—thisshouldbe atop downinitiative thatsendsaclear
message of zerotolerance
 We mustnot forgetthatacceptance of genderbasedstructural violence intimesof
peace leadstothe proliferationof SGBV intimesof conflict
4. Table discussions
 Moderators helpedfosteractive twowaycommunicationstowardsacollaborated
understandingwhile raisingquestions andfindinganswers
 Attendeesmovedfreelybetween the tablesthusfacilitatingdynamicconsensusand
solutionbuilding
Moderator and Topic 3 “P” Focus Acknowledgments / Suggestions
/Solutions
1. SunjeevBerry:What
woulda campaign
that engages
grassrootsand
diasporastocombat
humanrightsabuses
looklike?
• Protection and
Prevention
• Utilize informal,social,and
familynetworks
• Make campaignsinthe
US/Global Northrelevantand
tangible
• Documentation iskey
2. SucharitaVaranasi:
What role can
mobile technology
playindocumenting
sexual violence in
conflict?
• Prosecution • data as meanof documentation
& research patterns
• Chainof custodydependson
technologysecurity

4. 3. Christie Edwards:Do
the protectionsin
the Geneva
Convention
adequatelyaddress
sexual violence in
conflict?
• Preventionand
Protection
• Honor” “indecency“usedinthe
GenevaConventionandprotocol
makesitabout woman’schastity,
rather thanthe physical harms
• To incorporate language of the
Rome Statute intothe Geneva
Conventionwouldbe great
• Small changesinculture resultin
change in law
4. JoanTimoney:How
can the US and the
global community
give greater
protectiontothe
refugeesfleeingthe
threatof sexual
violence inIraqand
Syria?
• Protection • What can be done: More Funding
• Supporthostcountries
• Increase accessto health & social
services
• Genderanalysisof populations
• Implementationof best
practices.
5. EmilyHooker:How
can we combat
stigmato prosecute
and treatSGBV?
• Protection • Make communitiesaware that
menare perpetratorsof a crime
whencommittingsexualviolence
againsta woman(vice versa)
• Remove the “honor”language
fromacts of rape.
• Make people aware thatsexual
violence isahumanrights
violation
• Fosterthe understanding,sexual
violence doesnotjustexistin
timesof conflict,alsointimesof
peace
• Tackle issuesof everydaysexual
violence withincommunities
6. Katie Striffolino:How
can we use
technologyto
preventthe
radicalizationof
youngmenas a
consequence of
• Prevention • Need forcompellingcounter-
messaging
• Use real imagerytoconnect
people withcharactersof
powerful figures
• Sportsdiplomacy
• ThunderClap – global audience

5. militaryintervention
inSyria andIraq?
• Considercultural relevancyof
games/toolsandsimplicityof
messages
7. Omar Robles:How
can we engage
youngmeninthe
campaignto end
sexual violence?
• Protection,
Prevention
• Be more holisticinhow we
addresssexual violence
• engage with prevention
• workwiththe individual andthe
family toripple outchange to
the community
8. AnnWillhoite:How
can we support
greaterpsychological
care and
reintegrationfor
survivorsof sexual
violence inconflict?
• Protection • Integrationintoprimarycare
• Traininghealthcare professionals
on mental healthawareness
• Importantto address/combat
stigmaof mental health
• Communityintegrationand
outreachto explainbenefitsof
mental health
• Needtoinclude entire familyin
care, especiallymen
9. KimberlyTheidon:
What isthe effectof
sexual violence on
childrenbornof
rape?
• Preventionand
protection
• Normalizingthrougheducation
of the community
• Notjust a political gap,buta
knowledge gap;transitional
justice systemsdonotinvolve
childrenbornof rape
• Children’srightsvs.women’s
reproductive rights
10. JonathanShapiro:
What needstobe
done to ensure that
peacekeepers,
militarypersonnel
and newly
reintegratedmilitia
are part of the
solutioninsteadof
the problem
regardingsexual
violence?
• Prevention,
Protectionand
Prosecution
• Needtochange mindsand
attitudes
• “Mutual responsibility”
• Commandresponsibility
• Structure  judicial process
• Effectivenessof training;
leverage the cultural pointof
view
• Considervictims’voicesandtheir
needs
• Engage the civiliancommunity
• AbuBaker quote
• Situational vs.tactical

6. 5. Outcomesand Feedback
Over100 people attendedthe conference anditcreatedasubstantial social mediaimpression
generating660 tweets,makingitone of the mosttweetedeventsinDConNovember6.Tweets
can still be viewedunder#SGBVandConflict.The live streamingof the eventcombinedwith
othersocial mediaoutletscreatedasocial reachof over650,000, and between2-3million
impressions.The conference canbe viewedandsharedat http://bit.ly/1uW0euk.
Attendeeswere able tonetworkface-to-face withmembersof otherorganizationswithsimilar
objectives,thusplantingthe seedforfuture projectsrelatedtoSGBV prevention.Attendees
reportedthatthe eventwasparticularlyhelpful incoordinatingeffortsamongorganizations
focusingonprovidingaidforpeople livinginSyriaandIraq.
6. To the Future-Harnessingthe Powerof Framing Agendas Around CommonInterest
Thissuccessof thiseventmaybe attributed,inpart, to a progressive shiftinthe archetypal
premise of eventsof thisnature.A multi facetedapproachtocredible discussionbuilds on
coalitions,withthe resultantoutpouringof freshideasfromall sectors,whichinturnheightens
legitimate consensus.