Rape as a Weapon of War

I began a fan of Nicholas Kristof back when he was writing on Darfur and I give him kudos for today's article on Rape as a Weapon of War. The Kristof article is due in part to this Thursday's United Nations Security Council special session on sexual violence this Thursday, with Condoleezza Rice coming to New York to lead the debate. Recently, there has been more attention paid to sexual violence during conflict, both by rebels forces as in the documentary the Greatest Silence, as well as violence perpetuated by those who are the ones that are supposed to protect. Despite this trauma, a recent research report, "Survey on War Affected Youth II" highlights the resilience of women and girls.

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What are the impacts of war on women? Where should the Government and international NGOs focus their aid and development funds after the fighting stops?

Today we released a new policy report on women, girls, and the war in northern Uganda. In it, we describe Phase II of the Survey of War Affected Youth, or SWAY II: a survey of more than 600 women and girls affected by the war in northern Uganda.

The findings challenge the conventional wisdom on women after war. Almost all aid has been targeted at women formerly abducted by the rebel group, especially those forced to become 'wives' to rebel commanders, and who returned from the bush with children. These women are much more accepted and supported by their communities and families than we think, and in many cases are doing just as well (or, rather, just as poorly) as other women. Yet aid seldom reaches those women without sensational stories.

The report also takes a close look at educational and employment gaps with males, domestic violence, physical injuries, and mental health. We describe the role of women in the rebel group, and the nature of violence and abduction.

Download this report, with high resolution photos (PDF, 3.2 mb)
Download this report, with lower resolution photos (PDF, 1.0 mb)