A) Objetivos de la promesa
The need for placing greater emphasis on gender equality and women´s empowerment in humanitarian settings remains urgent, obvious and inevitable. This is demonstrated by the persistent prevalence of sexual violence, particularly in armed conflict, and the growing evidence of sexual and gender-based violence during armed conflicts and other situations of violence. It occurs in various contexts and for various purposes with grave humanitarian consequences. For instance, sexual violence is often utilised as a tactical or strategic means of overwhelming and weakening the adversary, whether directly or indirectly, by targeting the civilian population. It is of utmost importance for all humanitarian actors to operate under the assumption that sexual and gender-based violence occurs in armed conflict and other situations of violence, and, therefore, to act proactively in order to address it in a systematic manner.
B) Plan de acción
Therefore, for the years 2020-23, the Icelandic Government and the Icelandic Red Cross hereby pledge:
– To strengthen their support to the ICRC´s operations and humanitarian diplomacy to proactively and reactively address sexual violence in armed conflicts.
– To increase their financial and technical support to the ICRC´s Special Appeal on addressing sexual violence during armed conflict and other situations of violence.
– To actively draw greater attention to the prevalence of sexual violence in armed conflicts and the importance of a proactive and reactive response.
C) Indicadores para medir los avances:
– Multi-year financial support by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs to ICRC´s special appeal Response to Sexual Violence of at least 40 million ISK, earmarked for South Sudan.
– Provision of technical support to ICRC´s Response to Sexual Violence team by the appointment of qualified staff on loan from the Icelandic Red Cross for a period of at least one year.
– Biannual meetings between the Government of Iceland, the Icelandic Red Cross and the ICRC on sexual violence in armed conflict, its prevention and response.
– Awareness-raising and frequent discussion of the gravity and prevalence of sexual violence in armed conflict in international fora.
D) Recursos requeridos:
N/A
