MOGADISHU, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations envoy has welcomed efforts by the Somali government to develop a national action plan to end sexual violence in conflict.
Pramila Patten, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict who ended a five-day review visit to Somalia stressed the importance of the engagement of justice and security sector actors, as well as civil society, religious and traditional leaders in the development of the new National Action Plan.
Patten said the Plan should incorporate essential elements of Security Council resolution 2106 (2013) which outlines the nexus between terrorism and conflict-related sexual violence, and 2467 (2019) which calls for a holistic survivor-centered approach.
"My dialogue with the national authorities was frank and constructive; they did not deny or downplay the gravity of the crimes of sexual violence," she said in a statement issued on Monday night.
"Such acknowledgement is critical as no problem in human history has ever been resolved through silence and denial," said the UN envoy.
Analysts say two decades of civil conflict and state collapse have created a large population of displaced persons and other people vulnerable to sexual violence.
Armed assailants, including al-Shabab terror group, are operating with complete impunity, and sexual assault and rapes are rampant as conflict has destroyed the state institutions that are supposed to protect those most at risk.
