Sexual violence in armed conflict: can we prevent a COVID-19 backslide?

ICRC Humanitarian Law and Policy Blog · May 14, 2021 · 10m

Three months into the pandemic, the ICRC’s Head of Addressing Sexual Violence published a call to humanitarian agencies to urgently address the risk of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) rising in the shadow of COVID-19. She called on ICRC and others to bolster efforts to ensure continued service delivery for survivors of sexual violence. It is now clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has enabled two opposing trends: new sexual violence in places affected by conflict and violence, and fewer services available for victims and survivors. Marking the International Day for the Elimination of…