Policy paper

International Ministerial Conference on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) 2022: an overview

Updated 19 October 2022

About the conference

This year marks 10 years from the launch of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI). This November the UK will host an ambitious international Conference to encourage much-needed global action to stop Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV). The Conference is a follow-up to the ground-breaking UK-hosted global summit in 2014 with former Foreign Secretary William Hague and Angelina Jolie.

Addressing CRSV is a top UK priority. CRSV has shattered lives and scarred communities around the world. According to the 12th Report of the UN Secretary General on CRSV, incidents continue to be reported in 18 countries in 2021. While CRSV is prohibited under international law, prosecution levels are low, and impunity persists.

The conference will concentrate on the following strategic objectives on conflict-related sexual violence:

• concentrating on the global response
• prevention, including by addressing the root causes such as harmful gender norms
• concentrating on justice for all survivors and holding perpetrators to account by driving action and best practice to create accountability
• supporting survivors and children born of sexual violence in conflict, including by amplifying their voices and tackling stigma

We are exploring taking forward a new Political Declaration to help galvanise the international community and raise the bar to better prevent and respond to CRSV. We are scoping options for strengthening national justice mechanisms. The Conference will promote Women, Peace and Security– highlighting the role of women in peace processes and humanitarian action and the link to lasting peace.

We will use the conference to encourage international support and commitment for existing frameworks that keep survivor rights and wellbeing protected. This includes through the Murad Code and the Call to Action to Ensure the Rights and Wellbeing of Children Born of Sexual violence in Conflict.

We will use the Declaration of Humanity and the important role that faith leaders can play in preventing sexual violence in conflict. We will support survivors to directly challenge false narratives and the hijacking of religion to perversely justify CRSV.

Angelina Jolie meeting delegates at the 2014 conference.

Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative

The UK is a global leader on action to tackle Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV), committing £50 million since PSVI’s launch in 2012. This includes providing £2.7 million to the Global Survivors Fund since its launch in 2019. We also have trained over 17,000 police and military personnel. We have deployed the UK’s Team of Experts on PSVI over 90 times since 2012 to build capacity of governments, the UN and NGOs. Deployments have included Bangladesh, Uganda, and Ethiopia.

The UK has worked to ensure that survivors are at the heart of our work. In 2019, the UK government appointed 2 PSVI Survivor Champions, Nadine Tunasi and Kolbassia Haoussou MBE. We are ensuring survivor voices are heard at our 2022 international PSVI Conference.

While progress has been made, there remains much more to be done. The conference is an opportunity for the international community make progress towards stamping out this horrific crime, which has shattered lives across the world.