FMR 27 SEXUAL VIOLENCE 11 The European Union: a strategic approach by Lieve Fransen

The European Union has developed policies and instruments integrated into all conflict prevention, peacekeeping and reconciliation that address – both directly and indirectly – sexual violence processes. Giving women equal legal in conflict and beyond. Policy areas that are important in this rights, equal access to resources respect include human rights, gender equality, development and equal political influence is cooperation, humanitarian aid and conflict prevention. a pre-requisite for tackling the injustices that women endure, including sexual violence. Sexual violence is, sadly, something committed to fighting all forms that occurs in peacetime as well as of gender inequality. Their full In an ideal world, all children war, and in all societies. In war and application may demand longer-term would be protected against the conflict sexual violence is increasingly attitude shifts but progress has been ravages of war and the horror of used as a weapon of war and it has achieved through the establishment sexual violence. In the real world, been recognised as such by the EU of concrete, legally enforceable all too many children enjoy no and strongly condemned. It involves a rights and other practical measures. such protection. With the aim of fundamental breach of human rights. While the EU cannot impose norms improving the lot of this most beyond its own borders, it can and vulnerable group, in December The EU’s basic commitment to does reflect them in its relations with 2003 the Council of the EU adopted fundamental rights is underpinned third countries and in its external guidelines on the needs of children by its founding treaties. The EU has assistance programmes. Indeed, the in armed conflict.3 This document a universal commitment that applies EU’s development consensus points deals with, among other things, the not just to its own people but also to to the fact that providing quality specific problems faced by girls. the populations of third countries. services in the field of sexual and The Commission is also currently This is reflected in the European reproductive health and rights is a working on a new Communication Consensus on Development,1 the basis for achieving the Millennium on children’s rights and needs new framework for EU relations Development Goals (MDGs). in development cooperation. with developing countries based on principles that include gender The Commission’s Development equality, human rights, good Directorate-General is working to Development projects governance, justice and the rule of raise the profile of gender equality and programmes law. While underlying principles are issues in its development cooperation essential, effective action requires and to present a strengthened and Turning to how the EU can help tighter definitions and concrete more coherent framework for EU and is already helping to change the responses. Sexual violence does not policies to address the situation of situation on the ground, through affect all population groups equally: women in conflict situations and project and programme financing, among adults, it is predominantly beyond. The EU is committed to the there is a whole series of cross-cutting women who are affected while application of UN Security Council instruments that are of interest. young people, both girls and boys, Resolution 1325 which calls for an are particularly vulnerable. increased role for women in conflict Most EU development funding is prevention and peace processes.2 distributed on a bilateral country The Commission is pledged to or regional basis. Country Strategy Gender inequality follow up on this UN Resolution, Papers are an important instrument raising the issue in all appropriate used in defining priority sectors Most of the world’s women are still international fora. It will also and activities. These are drawn discriminated against legally in their encourage the countries that are up in partnership with a range of domestic jurisdictions and a very its development partners, where actors – but with recipient states large majority face discrimination appropriate, to devise national plans in the driving seat. We encourage in their daily lives. If societies fail to for implementing the Resolution. A developing country partners to embrace – and, more importantly, further concrete and practical pledge raise the question of sexual violence fail to apply – principles of gender is to boost the recruitment of women, programmes in their negotiations equality, then the normative both military and civilian, in peace with donors and to ensure that environment is less conducive to operations and humanitarian actions. national strategies against violence dealing decisively with the issue are integrated into programming. of sexually-motivated assault. This approach reflects our conviction that women should be viewed not The programme cycle currently The EU has embraced these principles solely as victims in conflict zones being negotiated with the African, and the European Commission is but as actors. They must be Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries 12 SEXUAL VIOLENCE FMR 27

will cover the period 2008-2013. The agencies, the Red Cross/Crescent European policies to prevent latest (tenth) European Development movement and international NGOs. conflict should also be mentioned. Fund (EDF)4 contains a record €23 The Commission’s humanitarian Stopping wars is not the same as billion. In ACP programming there is partners include many organisations ending sexual violence but it does a large pool (Envelope A) for agreed that are involved in trying to prevent the creation of extreme focal areas and sectors plus more prevent or to alleviate the effects of conditions in which sexual violence flexible funding (Envelope B) to cover sexual violence in conflict – such may proliferate. The European unforeseen events or emergencies. as the International Committee of Commission issued a Communication The latest EDF has a specific the Red Cross (ICRC), UNICEF, on Conflict Prevention in 2001 which incentive for good governance. UNHCR and Save the Children. highlighted the need to identify areas Incentive funding is distributed to of potential conflict. It also urged an countries that have scored well in an A significant proportion of the integrated policy approach involving, assessment of good governance, the Commission’s humanitarian aid where necessary, the orientation of definition of which extends to include effort is directed towards those who external aid towards measures that social governance. Programmes have been driven out of their homes would facilitate the emergence of a addressing sexual violence and are forced to live in camps as favourable political environment in could therefore be considered refugees or IDPs. As noted in several the region or country concerned. when determining eligibility. articles, women and young people are at risk of sexual abuse and violence, Sexual violence in conflict is a multi- In addition to bilateral funding the including from camp staff. The faceted issue and the European Union Commission implements policies Commission encourages its partners has evolved a multi-faceted response, through ‘thematic strategies’. to vet staff, provide proper training as shown in the various strategies One that is relevant to the present and take firm measures against those and instruments outlined above. discussion is the European Initiative found to have abused their power The more we can unite our efforts to for Democracy and Human Rights to obtain sexual favours. It may fight on various fronts, the more we (EIDHR), which makes around €100 be difficult to stamp out this kind can do to stamp out this social evil. million available to NGOs each year of behaviour altogether in a crisis for actions in three major fields: setting but the Commission can help Lieve Fransen (lieve.fransen@ ‘Justice and democratisation’, ‘Torture to minimise it through partnership ec.europa.eu) is Head of Unit, prevention’ and ‘Rehabilitation of with experienced agencies and a Human Development, Social victims of torture’. Another one is rigorous, well publicised approach. Cohesion and Employment, DG the new thematic strategy called Development, European Commission. ‘Investing in people’ (2007-2013). This strategy involves financing Legal and political solutions innovative proposals to deliver Some concrete examples sexual and reproductive health While education and awareness of EU action: and rights (SRHR) services and raising on basic rights and gender commodities on education, health issues are needed, we should not lose n €5.7 million to UNFPA, under the and gender equality actions sight of the fact that sexual violence Poverty Diseases budget line, is fundamentally unacceptable. to help reduce the vulnerability In the final analysis, there must of women and girls to HIV Humanitarian aid be very few perpetrators of such infection in Zimbabwe violence who genuinely fail to Another policy area where the recognise their wrongdoing. The n €7.2 million under the European European Commission is active in main problem is often a culture of Initiative for Democracy and Human directly tackling the issue of sexual impunity – particularly in conflict Rights for public awareness work violence in conflict is humanitarian situations where law enforcement and support for the judicial system aid. Through its Humanitarian has collapsed and courts are not in the Democratic Republic of Congo Aid department (ECHO), the functioning effectively. The EU has Commission directs relief impartially little legal authority in the field n €440,000 for a project by Save the to people most in need in crisis of criminal law – for even within Children (NL) providing emergency zones outside the European Union. the EU this is mainly a matter for reproductive health services in West €652 million was channelled to individual governments – and is Darfur (including support for women humanitarian operations in more clearly unable to control criminality in who have been sexually assaulted)

than 60 nations during 2005. third countries. However, it can and does lend its weight to international For the most part, humanitarian efforts. It supports the International 1. http://ec.europa.eu/comm/development/images/ crises are due to either conflicts or Criminal Court and the efforts of UN button_pdf.jpg natural disasters. EU support goes agencies to end impunity and ensure 2. See following article on UN Security Council Resolution 1325. to a wide range of urgent relief fair legal redress. It also has a policy 3. http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/human_ activities including protection for of ‘zero tolerance’ of sexual violence rights/child/caafguidelines.pdf vulnerable groups in war zones, perpetrated by peacekeeping forces 4. http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/r12102.htm and psychosocial support. The or others in a position of power or funds are channelled through responsibility in crisis settings. operational partners including UN