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Case 3 “On Civilian Harm”: Sexual violence

In the summer of 2016, violence flared up in Juba, South Sudan’s capital city. An increase in sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) occurred in the direct aftermath of the conflict. The victims were predominantly IDP women of Nuer ethnicity living in UN-protected and controlled Protection of Civilians sites. The chapter "Sexual violence: Attacked for being Nuer (South Sudan, 2016)" brings into focus both the direct and indirect effects of SGBV on its victims, as well as the role of UN peacekeepers in not having been able to prevent the violence.

In ‘On Civilian Harm’, we explore the ways in which civilians are negatively affected by violent conflict, offer tools and language to discuss the phenomenon, make practical recommendations for civilian harm mitigation and raise questions for further debate. The book contains in-depth analysises of 13 particular events in which harm to civilians occurred as a consequence of use of armed violence. Taken together, they contribute to an increased understanding of the variety and complexity of civilian harm at a conceptual level, bringing out common traits and patterns on civilian harm in violent conflict.

About this report

Date of publication:

Jun 10, 2021

Author:

Erin Bijl (PAX)

Publisher:

PAX Protection of Civilians

More about the book 'On Civilian Harm'
Case 3 “On Civilian Harm”: Sexual violence

Jun 10, 2021, Erin Bijl (PAX)

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