UK foreign secretary speaks at conference on preventing sexual violence

LONDON

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly spoke on Monday at the 2022 Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative conference.

In his opening remarks, Cleverly said conflict-related sexual violence “is morally abhorrent, it is illegal, and yet it is still happening all around the world.”

“The very threat of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war, or as part of its aftermath, should bring immediate international condemnation, and swift action to deter those attacks before they occur,” Cleverly said.

“Today, we stand in solidarity with survivors, determined to bring justice,” he continued.

“And today I want to send an unequivocal message to those who order, allow or perpetrate sexual violence against women and girls: it isn’t combat; it isn’t strength; it is cowardice. We will not rest in our efforts to protect those potential victims, and prosecute the perpetrators.”

After his opening remarks, Nobel laureate Nadia Murad spoke, after which Cleverly gave a speech, in which he launched the UK’s three-year strategy to escalate the global response to sexual violence, with £12.5 million ($15.1 million) of new funding into a series of programs.

Cleverly added that from December, the UK would use sanctions to specifically address crimes of sexual violence.

“We have to face this as an international united community, led by the survivors,” he said.

“Because the scale of suffering is unacceptable. Sexual violence is not inevitable. It will not be tolerated."