No Justice - No Peace Impunity, Gendered Crimes and Consequences
Seminar with World Women's Rights Activists in Stockholm, Sweden
Impunity is a large obstacle to achieving peace and stability in the world today. It is a global problem and in the short term, the doctrine of impunity stops perpetrators of serious crimes from being prosecuted. In the long term, the absence of rule of law threatens the stability of peace process and reconciliation as it fosters cycles of violence and violations. The impunity doctrine is especially common when it comes to gender based violence. For example, war crimes are still rarely prosecuted when it concerns rape or torture performed by combatants during the war in conflict and post-conflict societies. Furthermore, national legislation or sometimes its lack of implementation in many countries open up for gender based violence against women, as long as it takes place in the home. In this seminar, women’s rights activists from the DRC, Nigeria and Kosovo will discuss how the doctrine of impunity for gender based violence affects their work for women’s rights.
SPEAKERS: Annie Mbami Matundu, President of WILPF/IKFF DRC
Joy Onyesoh, President of WILPF/IKFF Nigeria
Lisa Gormley, Legal Adviser, International Law and Women’s Rights, Amnesty International
Veprore Shehu, Executive Director Medica Kosova Chair:
Josefine Karlsson, Secretary General WILPF/IKFF Sweden