The day aims to raise awareness of the need to put an end to conflict-related sexual violence, to honour the victims and survivors of sexual violence around the world and to pay tribute to all those who have courageously devoted their lives to and lost their lives in standing up for the eradication of these crimes.

The UN International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is celebrated every year on 19 June. This year, the need to raise awareness on these issues is made even more pressing by the development of new conflicts around the world (such as at the border between Ukraine and the Russian Federation) as well as by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sexual violence further impedes women’s livelihood activities, against the backdrop of economic shocks and poverty driven by protracted conflicts and pandemic-related restrictions.

Dr Jenny Korkodeilou, Lecturer in Criminology at Royal Holloway, University of London, commented on the importance of this celebration in a short article available here.