Lords to hear from peacekeepers on preventing sexual violence in conflict
The House of Lords Committee on Sexual Violence in Conflict will tomorrow hold two evidence sessions with individuals involved in peacekeeping and the defence of human rights.
The Committee will take evidence from 3:45pm on Tuesday 3 November in Committee Room 2A of the House of Lords. The full witness details are:
3:45pm:
- Ms Paula Dononvan, Co-Director, Aids Free World (videolink)
- Ms Carla Ferstman, Director, Redress
4:45pm:
- Mr David Mepham, UK Director, Human Rights Watch
- Ms Yanar Mohammed, President, Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (videolink)
- Ms Lauren Wolfe, Journalist and Director, Women Under Siege Project (videolink)
The first session will focus on the UN's efforts to tackle sexual abuse and exploitation by peacekeepers, what role training can play in eradicating abuse and exploitation, whether immunity from prosecution for UN personnel should be waived for those accused of committing such acts and how effective the UN support for victims has been.
In the second session the Committee will ask witnesses whether national governments have responded to the G8's call for more political and diplomatic support for human rights defenders, how human rights defenders are supported in the countries in which they operate and the role of local organisations in providing early warning about outbreaks of sexual violence in conflict.
