Under the slogan "Rape is important physical", the victims of rape were able to pass their message at the United Nations, where the General Assembly adopted a "historic" resolution on access to justice for survivors of sexual violence.
In a text adopted by consensus, the General Assembly said that it "urges States to take effective measures within their national legal systems and in accordance with international law to enable victims and survivors of sexual or gender-related violence to have access to justice, appeals and assistance".
The resolution received with chants of joy and applause, in particular the importance of victims' access to justice "promptly and unhindered", the need to "strengthen" international cooperation and the importance of protecting women's rights in general.
Amanda Nguyen, founder of the NGO Rise
which has been fighting for this text for years to hear the voices of "1.3 billion survivors of sexual abuse worldwide"
said that "the General Assembly has never adopted a separate resolution recognizing rape in peacetime".
- I wanted to be an astronaut and I didn't want to be an activist
- but I'm here and the clothes I was wearing when I was raped are on display here"
- the 30-year-old activist told AFP. It was a "historic day".
From mid-July until Friday, 13 pieces of long and short trousers, dresses and even swimsuits for young girls were displayed on mannequin dolls in the lobby of the United Nations General Headquarters.
The exhibition entitled "What were you wearing?", to condemn the holding victims of sexual abuse responsible for what happened.
On behalf of the European Union, Czech Ambassador Jakob Kolhanik praised the "determination" of survivors' organizations to "move forward" towards the adoption of the resolution adopted on Friday.
"In isolation from trauma itself, survivors often face unacceptable barriers in obtaining assistance, justice and compensation."
"We know that we must do more to eliminate sexual violence in the world," American Representative Jeffrey DeLaurentis said during the debate, stressing that "this historic decision brings us closer to the goal."
However, the text "does not provide for rights or duties in international law".
However, Amanda Nguyen considered that even if the United Nations resolution could be considered "symbolic"
it was a "powerful symbol" (...). Because here we are screaming and saying that our rape is important and you have to admit it ".
For her part, American Jessica Long, 43, who was assaulted during a trip abroad, said that "all victims or survivors of sexual abuse are important." She had never been able to impose recognition of her rights.
- "We are fighting with you and the world is fighting with you"
- she continued in an interview with AFP
- expressing her sense of
"excellence" because she can "be a voice for those who have no voice because of their age, gender, race and where they were born."
Many defenders of the text submitted by Sierra Leone with the support of 50 States expressed the hope that it would be adopted without reservation by all Member States.
However, with the support of other delegations, including Egypt, Malaysia and Iran, Nigeria had tried to make amendments to the text.
However, all amendments calling for the deletion of references to spousal sexual violence, gender-based violence or access to contraceptives.
Amanda Nguyen said, "We ask people not only to realize that the stigma of rape must be removed but to look in the mirror and ask themselves:
What have you done about it?"
"We are more than a billion people on this planet who have not been recognized here," she said.
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