John Kerry Joins Angelina Jolie's Call To End Use Of Rape In War

[HuffingtonPost]

By Belinda Goldsmith                

LONDON, June 13 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John  Kerry joined Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie and the British  government on Friday in calling for action to end the use of  rape as a weapon of war.                

Closing the world's first global summit on intercourseual violence  in conflict, Kerry echoed Jolie and British Foreign Secretary  William Hague by demanding concrete steps to ensure those  responsible for such crimes were punished, and victims helped.                

The four-day conference has received global attention due  largely to the involvement of Jolie, special envoy of the U.N.  High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), who joined forces with  Hague in 2012 to tackle intercourseual violence in conflict.                

Recent shocking cases of violence against women, including  the kidnap of 200 Nigerian girls and the rape and murder of two  Indian girls, have also focused attention on the summit.                

Kerry, who flew into London on Friday, said there was no  place in the world for intercourseual violence as a tool of war.                

"It's time for us, in an age where we see enough of chaos,  failed and failing states, to write a new norm, one that  protects women, girls, men, boys ... from these unspeakable  crimes," said Kerry, a war veteran with two daughters.                

"Ending the cycle of violence is not just a personal  priority, it is a priority .. of the U.S. government and its  allies."                

Up to 1,200 government ministers and officials, lawyers,  activists and survivors from over 120 countries attended the  summit, which agreed a new set of international guidelines on  how to investigate intercourse crimes, collect evidence and prosecute.                                

FOUR GOALS                

Punishing those responsible was one of four goals of the  summit, which also called for more training for soldiers and  peacekeepers to protect women; increased support for victims;  and efforts to change global attitudes to the problem.                

Last year, Hague and Jolie launched a declaration, now  signed by about 150 countries, pledging to end a culture of  impunity for intercourseual violence and provide justice and safety for  victims.                

Kerry dismissed the idea that intercourseual violence in war was too  ingrained to be eradicated, citing efforts to stop the use of  chemical and nuclear weapons as examples of what was possible.                

"So when people ask if we can actually outlaw intercourseual  violence in warfare, the answer is a resounding 'yes'," he said.                

Hague said the summit's success could only be measured by  the impact that practical steps agreed during the week had on  the lives of those in conflicts.                

"From this summit, we can bring together a whole army from  around the globe ... all united with the common vision of ending  warzone rape and intercourseual violence," he said.                

Jolie, whose partner Brad Pitt joined her at the summit,  said the issue of intercourseual violence in war was "now firmly on the  top table of international diplomacy".                

"We will work to ensure it stays there," she told a news  conference.     (Editing by Kevin Liffey)
Source: huffingtonpost.com