• Conflict

Violence against women during conflict

This Amnesty International (AI) report reveals the horrifying extent of sexual violence against women and girls taking place in the context of the current conflict in Cote d'Ivoire and points out that the scale and brutal nature of the attacks are vastly underestimated.

The report points out that many women and girls are the victims of gang rape or are abducted and forced into sexual slavery by fighters. Rape is often accompanied by beatings and torture - often committed in public and in front of family members. Some women have even been raped next to the corpses of family members. To the knowledge of AI, none of the perpetrators of these crimes has ever been brought to justice. Survivors are often stigmatised and abandoned by partners or families - condemned to extreme poverty, often with dependent children.

Amnesty International outline several recommendations aimed at eliminating sexual violence against women and girls in Côte d'Ivoire. The recommendations relate to both the investigation of such crimes and ensuring effective judicial remedies, including compensation and rehabilitation.

Recommendations include:

• all parties including the international community should condemn violence against women and girls in any circumstances and involve women fully in peace processes and reconstruction programmes
• the government of Cote d'Ivoire must provide immediate and effective assistance to victims of violence against women and take steps to prevent future violations against women
• it must commit to taking concrete measures to end impunity for violence against women and ensure that human rights defenders can carry out their legitimate human rights work without fear of retaliation or punishment
• it must support efforts to agree an international arms trade treaty to help stop the proliferation of weapons used to commit violence against women and other human rights violations

• Full text of document
• Publisher details
• Send to a friend