Gender Bias and Judicial Response to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence: How do social norms and justice systems influence each other?
#Talk2EndCRSV
UN Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict in collaboration with: Center for Human Rights, Gender and Migration, Washington University in St. Louis; Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University; the Institute for the Study of Human Rights, Columbia University; and the School of Transnational Governance, European University Institute
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Welcome to the Seventh Digital Dialogue
The United Nations Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN Team of Experts) and the Journal of International Criminal Justice (the Journal) came together to present a Special Issue of the Journal on the Progress and Challenges of National Efforts to Address Impunity for Sexual Violence in Conflict. The Special Issue was launched in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the creation of a specific UN mandate on Sexual Violence in Conflict and of the UN Team of Experts.
With the launch of the Special Issue, the UN Team of Experts, together with its partners, initiated a Digital Dialogue Series addressing topics covered in the Special Issue. The Digital Dialogue Series has been designed to ensure that academics, policymakers and practitioners have open discussions, provoke critical reflections, and hopefully inspire a community of practice on delivering survivor-sensitive justice for conflict-related sexual violence.
This Seventh session will explore how ideas of gender inform the perpetration, experience, and understanding of conflict-related sexual violence. How can norms around gender inequality fuel conflict-related sexual violence? How can gender biases influence judicial response to the conflict-related sexual violence? Ultimately, can judicial response to conflict-related sexual violence, in turn, influence gender norms in the society?
In recent years, we have seen an increased understanding of conflict-related sexual violence as not adhering to a simple binary of male perpetrators and female victims. We see more and more that men and boys indeed suffer from conflict-related sexual violence, just as women and girls perpetrate it. There is also increasing awareness that conflict-related sexual violence is inflicted upon and suffered by individuals across the spectrum of gender identity and sexual orientation because of their failure to conform to heteronormative systems and expectations.
This panel will reflect on the relationship between society and courts – how justice systems address (or fail to) gender in their institutional structures, processes, and jurisprudence in dealing with conflict-related sexual violence. Panelists will explore the ways in which gender norms brought into a justice system might inform a tribunal’s analysis of the conflict itself and gendered violence that occurs in it. Further, panelists will discuss whether increased investigation and prosecution of gender-based crimes might influence perceptions of gender beyond the courtroom walls and in society at large.
Panel
The seventh Digital Dialogue will be moderated by Kim Thuy Seelinger, Director of the Center for Human Rights, Gender and Migration, Washington University in St. Louis. Panelists will include Mark A. Drumbl (Class of 1975 Alumni Professor at Washington and Lee University, School of Law), Lydia Muthiani (former Field Officer for International Criminal Court and former Deputy Executive Director at Coalition for Violence Against Women, Kenya), Patricia Viseur Sellers (Special Advisor for Gender to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and Visiting Fellow of Kellogg College at Oxford University), Silke Studzinsky (former International Civil Parties Lawyer at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia and head of Victims’ Participation Office, Kosovo Specialist Chambers), and Elisabeth Wood (Crosby Professor of the Human Environment and Professor of Political Science, Yale University).
Objectives of the Seventh Digital Dialogue
1. Surface the way gender norms inform the perpetration, experience, and understanding of conflict-related sexual violence;
2. Identify and discuss the importance of including male victimization, female perpetration and LGBTQI individuals’ experiences in conflict-related sexual violence prevention and response efforts;
3. Discuss how taking an “intersectional” approach to international criminal justice can help improve understanding of and address conflict-related sexual violence and gendered aspects of conflict generally;
4. Discuss how gender norms and biases influence international criminal justice systems institutionally and procedurally, and how these biases have affected national and international tribunals’ conflict-related sexual violence-related jurisprudence in particular; and
5. Explore how to bring developments in court back to the community in a way that promotes gender equality and gender justice generally.
Moving the conversation forward in Opinio Juris
A Special Issue in the Journal of International Criminal Justice on Sexual Violence in Conflict and Domestic Accountability: Why Now and Why You (and Governments) Should Read It
Reflecting with Practitioners: How is Latin America (Still and Again) Paving the Way for the Promotion of Accountability for Sexual Violence in Conflict Before National Courts?
The Digitial Dialogue Series – The Fight against Impunity for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in the Central African Republic
Dialogues Virtuels: Lutte contre l’impunité pour les violences sexuelles liées aux conflits en République Centrafricaine
Symposium on accountability for conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) crimes associated with slave trade, slavery and trafficking - coming soon
The Sixth Digital Dialogue brought together practitioners and experts who have reflected on and/or worked on the normative, legal, and operational response to providing reparations for conflict-related sexual violence crimes.
The Sixth Digital Dialogue was moderated by Ruth Rubio-Marín (School of Transnational Governance, European University Institute, Director of Gender and Governance Cluster). Panelists included Igor Cvetkovski (Global Survivors Fund), Aude Le Goff (International Criminal Court), Clara Sandoval-Villalba (University of Essex), and Yasmin Waljee OBE (Hogan Levells).
Watch the recording of the Sixth Digital Dialogue!
The fifth Digital Dialogue brought together contributing authors of the Special Issue, practitioners and experts who have reflected on and/or worked in the justice response to conflict-related sexual violence crimes associated with slavery and trafficking.
The fifth Digital Dialogue was moderated by Patricia Viseur Sellers (Visiting Fellow at Kellogg College of the University of Oxford, Special Advisor for Gender for the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court). Panelists included Jocelyn Getgen (Clinical Associate Professor of Law, Cardozo Law School), Stephanie Barbour (Senior SGBV Advisor Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA)), Valiant Richey (OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings), Aimée Comrie (Coordinator, GLO.ACT Asia and the Middle East, UNODC) and Ameena Saeed (Yezidi advocate on trafficking and slavery).
Watch the recording of the fifth Digital Dialogue!
Le quatrième Dialogue virtuel a permis à des experts de réfléchir à la réponse judiciaire apportée aux violences sexuelles liées au conflit en République centrafricaine (RCA), ainsi qu’à l’impact de cette réponse sur la consolidation de la paix dans ce pays.
The fourth Digital Dialogue brought together contributing authors of the Special Issue, practitioners and experts who have reflected and/or worked on the justice response to sexual violence committed in the Central African Republic (CAR), and on the impact of this response on peace and security.
Panel
Le quatrième Dialogue virtuel sera modérée par M. Renaud Galand pour Bureau de l’Etat de droit et des institutions chargées de la sécurité du Département des opérations de paix, Secrétariat des Nations unies. Les panélistes comprenaient M. Yao Agbetse, Mme Rosine Bela Eyebe, M. Patrick Vinck, M. Benoît Narcisse Foukpio, M. Toussaint Muntazini et Mme Anne-Marie Goumba.
Mme Denise Brown, Représentante spéciale adjointe du Secrétaire général pour la MINUSCA, prononcera les remarques de clôture.
The fourth Digital Dialogue will be moderated by Mr. Renaud Galand. Panelists will include Mr. Yao Agbetse, Ms. Rosine Bela Eyebe, Mr. Patrick Vinck, Mr. Benoît Narcisse Foukpio, Mr. Toussaint Muntazini and Ms. Anne-Marie Goumba. Ms. Denise Brown, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for MINUSCA and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, gave the closing remarks.
Regardez l’enregistrement de la quatrième session des Dialogues virtuels!
Watch the recording of the fourth Digital Dialogue!
The third Digital Dialogue of the Series brought together contributing authors to the Special Issue, practitioners, and experts to reflect on the impact of sexual violence committed in the context of terrorism, the challenges and opportunities for criminal prosecution, and justice for victims as well as the definition of justice for victims.
Panel
The third Digital Dialogue was moderated by the Ms. Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.
Panelists included Ms. Anne Marie de Brouwer, Ms. Azadeh Moaveni, Ms. Chioma Onuegbu, and Ms. Rhoda Prevail Tyoden representing the victims.
Watch the recording of the third Digital Dialogue!
The second Digital Dialogue of the Series brought together several contributing authors to the Special Issue, academics, and experts on the prosecution and investigation of serious crimes in Latin America, with a focus on Colombia and Guatemala. Indeed, despite widespread impunity for conflict-related sexual violence, there have been a number of significant and innovative efforts to hold perpetrators accountable within national justice systems in these countries.
Panel
The second Digital Dialogue was moderated by OHCHR. Panelists included Ms. Susana SáCouto, Ms. Daniela Kravetz, Ms. Marta Valiñas and Ms. Ana Medina.
Amb. Charlotta Schlyter, Ambassador for Sustainable Development, Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations, gave the closing remarks
Watch the recording of the second Digital Dialogue!
The first Digital Dialogue celebrated the launch of the Special Issue of the Journal of International Criminal Justice on Progress and Challenges of National Efforts to Address Impunity for Sexual Violence, created in collaboration with the UN Team of Experts, and marked the start of a series of webinars the Digital Dialogue Series.
The first Digital Dialogue was launched with a framing statement by the Under-Secretary General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Ms. Pramila Patten. The event was chaired by the Team Leader of the UN Team of Experts, Ms. Chloe Marnay-Baszanger. Panelists included Mr. Guido Acquaviva, Ms. Kim Thuy Seelinger, Ms. Karen Naimer and Mr. Daniele Perissi. Ms. Margot Wallström, former Minister for Foreign Affairs for Sweden and former Under-Secretary General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, gave the closing remarks.
Watch the recording of the first Digital Dialogue!
Justice and Accountability for Sexual Violence in Conflict: Progress and Challenges in Efforts to Address Impunity in National Jurisdictions
Panel
Online Resources
The special issue is accessible on the website of the Journal of International Criminal Justice
The organizers of the Digital Dialogue Series can be contacted at toesvc@un.org
To learn more about the UN Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, visit our website!
Credits:
Created with an image by zdulli - "supreme court us supreme court states"UN Photo/UNHCR/R LeMoyne