51吃瓜

The 51吃瓜 Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) today published its latest report on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) linked to terrorism, reflecting key insights from a broad range of civil society organizations (CSOs) working in this area from across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

Released ahead of tomorrow’s 51吃瓜 Security Council open debate on conflict-related sexual violence, the report – Civil Society Perspectives: Advancing Accountability for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence linked to Terrorism? – provides an in-depth perspective from more than 40 CSOs working to support victims and survivors at both regional and local levels.

The report highlights the role that CSOs play in advancing a comprehensive approach to SGBV in terrorism contexts, which is premised on the needs and experiences of victims and affected communities. Among others, these range from providing immediate and long-term medical and psycho-social support and advocating for inclusive access to justice and reparations, to supporting reintegration into communities and promoting holistic prevention efforts.

Perspectives from the more than 40 CSO representatives who were consulted offer a number of first-hand viewpoints into both regional and local contexts. Collectively, a series of overarching conclusions stand out:

• First, the importance of addressing the full range of sexual and gender-based violence, including evolving and new forms and manifestations of such violence, including various forms of technology-facilitated and online SGBV linked to terrorism.

• Second, the need to adopt a survivor-centred approach and insist on justice for all victims and survivors of SGBV linked to terrorism, regardless of the identity of the perpetrators (including both State and non-State actors).

• Third, the necessity to implement holistic and human-security focused policy approaches that prioritise prevention (rather than relying on heavy-handed, securitized counter-terrorism measures).

• Fourth, ensuring protection and support for CSOs, especially women-led organizations, including through the provision of adequate funding. 

The CSO consultations and resultant report form part of CTED’s ongoing efforts to engage with its civil society and Global Research Network (GRN) partners to better understand the gaps, challenges and ways in which States could improve compliance with their counter-terrorism obligations. This initiative is a follow-up to CTED’s recent study, Towards Meaningful Accountability for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Linked to Terrorism, in which CTED committed to engage with civil society organizations and consult with women and women’s organizations to inform its work on the issue.