Women Peace Laureates urge protection for women in armed conflict

Rape as a weapon of war is a crime occurring “on a massive scale” and is a threat to peace and security, says a report.

The report, from Nobel Women’s Initiative, says that although the perpetrators of these war crimes often benefit from a “culture of impunity” victims and survivors “suffer long term health consequences,” such as psychological trauma—including isolation, fear, hot flushes, feelings of unworthiness, and suicide—and medical trauma such as gynaecological fistula, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV/AIDS.

The Nobel Women’s Initiative was established in 2006 by Nobel Peace Laureates Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, Wangari Maathai, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Betty Williams, …