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31 January 2013
United Kingdom Pledges to Ensure Abortion Access for Women Raped in War
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 10, 2013
[NEW YORK, NY] - The United Kingdom (UK) announced a historic change in their policy on abortions for women raped in armed conflict, a move that should have enormous global impact on health care given women in war zones. UK government spokesperson, Baroness Northover, speaking in the House of Lords on January 9, 2013, acknowledged that girls and women raped in armed conflict have absolute legal rights to comprehensive medical care, including abortions when medically necessary, under common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions.
Global Justice Center President Janet Benshoof states, “We applaud the UK for its global leadership on calling an end to the unjust and illegal denial of abortions for women raped and tortured in armed conflict.”
The UK now joins with Norway in calling to ensure abortions are part of medical treatment for women raped in war, and for calling on the US to lift the abortion restrictions placed on all US humanitarian aid funds. Norway was the first country to affirm that nondiscriminatory medical care under the Geneva Conventions must include abortions, and in 2011 called upon the US government to lift its abortion ban on aid for women raped in war as a matter of compliance with the Geneva Conventions.
Baroness Northover’s statement laid out several ways the UK government would protect the medical care rights of women victims of war rape:
Acknowledge that international humanitarian law, not national abortion laws, is the legal standard to be followed when treating victims of war rape.
Officially ask the US government to reinterpret the Helms Amendment abortion restrictions put on foreign aid to allow for abortions for women raped in armed conflict.
Continue to flag its position supporting the legal rights to abortion for women raped in war to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has an abortion ban attached to its US funding.
Affirm that all recipients of UK humanitarian aid funding must use that funding in compliance with international humanitarian law, where applicable.
This turnaround in UK policy came in response to a historic call by Lord Anthony Lester of Herne Hill for the UK to take global leadership to end the routine denial of “life and health saving abortions in humanitarian settings” for girls and women raped in war. Lord Lester called the denial of abortions for women raped in war “barbaric,” stating that it leaves victims with“the terrible 'choice’ of risking an unsafe abortion, suicide, or being forced to bear the child of their rapists.
Other peers advocating for the UK to ensure that its humanitarian aid policy includes abortion access for war rape victims included: Baroness Kinnock, who referenced her firsthand experience meeting with war rape victims in the Democratic Republic of Congo; Baroness Kennedy; Lord Collins; Baroness Tonge; Baroness Uddin; and Baroness Flather, who cited the recent gang rape case in India that has sparked international outcry, and concluded by stating, “It is time that we in this country decided that all our money should go to save and to serve women. That is what I would like to see. It is time to stop pussyfooting around and to do something about it.”
Lauding this UK policy change, Ms. Benshoof adds: “All donor countries should join the UK in protecting the medical care rights of women raped in armed conflict. Women must not be forced to bear the child of their rapists.”
To read the full transcript of the debate, click here.
To watch the debate, click here (the debate starts at 19:59:00).
For further information or press inquiries, please contact Stephanie Johanssen, Legal Counsel for EU and UN Affairs via e-mail at sjohanssen@globaljusticecenter.net or by phone at 212-725-6530 Ext. 209.
For UK contacts please contact Zarin Hainsworth via email at zarin@serenecommunications.com or by phone at Tel. +44 (0)
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27 May 2008
EU Resolution Urges UK to Use Presidency of the Security Council to Refer Burma to the International Criminal Court
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 27, 2008
[NEW YORK, NY] – The United Kingdom should follow the recommendation of the Parliament of the European Union and use thepresidency of the UN Security Council to press for justice and accountability for the people of Burma by referring Senior General Than Shwe and his military regime to the International Criminal Court. The denial of humanitarian aid to the victims of Cyclone Nargis should serve as a wake-up call to the international community to the brutality and indifference of a military regime that for four decades has systematically used torture, gang rape of ethnic women, slavery, murder, mass imprisonment, and child soldiers to consolidate its power.
In its Resolution of 22 May 2008 on the tragic situation in Burma, the Parliament of the European Union recognized that those responsible for the crimes committed in Burma should be brought before the International Criminal Court. The UK, a leader in the global effort to end impunity for international humanitarian violations, should heed the EU Resolution and use this opportunity to address these crimes and establish rule of law in
Burma.
“The European Parliament,…
(Article 5) Reiterates that the sovereignty of a nation cannot be allowed to override the human rights
of its people as enshrined in the UN principle of 'responsibility to protect'; calls on the Government of
the United Kingdom, which holds the May Presidency of the UN Security Council, to take urgent
action to put the situation in Burma on the agenda of the Security Council …
(Article 11) Takes the view that, if the Burmese authorities continue to prevent aid from reaching
those in danger, they should be held accountable for crimes against humanity before the ICC; calls on
the EU Member States to press for a UN Security Council resolution referring the case to the
Prosecutor of the ICC for investigation and prosecution;…”
The actions of the military regime go far beyond a repudiation of democracy; they are criminal violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, including crimes against humanity and war crimes. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the monitor of international humanitarian law, issued a rare public statement on 29 June 2007 verifying criminal violations of the Geneva Conventions by the regime that were personally observed by ICRC delegates, and added that the crimes were likely to be ongoing.
The commitment of the UK to ensuring accountability for the most serious crimes was demonstrated by its support of Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. In her statement to the Security Council, Karen Pierce, Deputy UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations, stated, “[i]n Burma, Mr. Pinheiro, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights, has reported on the systematic sexual violence used by the military, police and border guards as part of the Government’s anti-insurgency tactics. The Council has a duty to listen to, but also to act upon, such reports.”
The evidence of crimes is overwhelming; the UK’s commitment to holding perpetrators responsible is well established. The United Kingdom should use the Presidency of the Security Council to lead the effort to end impunity for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Burma by referring the situation in Burma to the International Criminal Court.
Andrea Friedman, Esq.
Global Justice Center
Tel: 212-725-6530 x203
www.globaljusticecenter.net
afriedman@globaljusticecenter.net
U Aung Htoo, Esq.
Burma Lawyers’ Council
Cell: 66 (0) 81 533 0605
Website: www.blc-burma.org
blcsan@ksc.th.com
27 May 2008
EU Resolution Urges UK to use Presidency of the Security Council to Refer Burma to the International Criminal Court
Check out a report by Andrea Friedman, Vice-President of GJC, in which she discusses the EU resolution that urges the UK to use its position in the Security Council to refer Burma to the ICC for the injustices committed by the military regime.
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01 June 2007
GJC’s Partner Group Submits Recommendations to UK Iraq Commission
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 18 2007
NewYork, NY – The UK-based International Coordination for Gender Justice in Iraq (ICGJI) last week submitted recommendations to the Iraq Commission, the independent cross-party UK commission to examine the future of British commitment in Iraq.
Aided by the Global Justice Center, the ICGJI is a volunteer-based organization that works closely with diverse partners both in the UK and in Iraq towards international advocacy on gender justice in Iraq. The ICGJI has recently been involved in the training of judges in Iraq to address the issues of gender justice and regime crimes, as well as various projects to raise awareness of gender issues and equality in Iraq.
The Iraq Commission is an independent UK group set up to investigate various aspects of the UK’s continuing role in Iraq, with a goal towards presenting a final report mid-July to the new Prime Minister. Equivalent to the US Iraq Study Group, issues under examination by the Commission include the role of UK troops in Iraq, reconstruction and the role of NGOs, and domestic political considerations, including questions of community cohesion.
The ICGJI’s submission highlighted issues affecting women’s rights from a legislative and political development perspective, such as some inherent contradictions concerning women’s rights in Iraqi law. The ICGJI seeks gender equality in government and judicial processes through international laws such as UN Security Council Resolution 1325, and the submission emphasizes the importance of such equality in forming a progressive democracy.
The Global Justice Center is glad to see that the UK government is taking active steps to consider the situation in Iraq, and hopes that the Iraq Commission includes in the final report recommendations on gender equality and justice under UN Security Council Resolution 1325.
A copy of the ICGJI’s full submission is available at http://www.globaljusticecenter.net/news-events/ICGJI-submission.pdf; for further information, please contact Abby Goldberg at (212) 725-6530, x204 or agoldberg@globaljusticecenter.net.
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