On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, observed annually on June 19, Malaz Foundation for Women's Support affirms that conflict-related sexual violence remains one of the most horrific violations inflicted upon civilians, particularly women and girls. In such contexts, victims' bodies are weaponized as battlegrounds and instruments of humiliation, intimidation, and social destruction, constituting a grave violation of fundamental human and legal principles.
Silence in the face of these crimes is not neutrality; rather, it reinforces a culture of impunity and enables perpetrators to continue their violations. Therefore, protecting women and girls in conflict-affected areas, ensuring survivors' access to psychological, social, and legal support services, and holding those responsible accountable are moral and legal obligations that cannot be delayed or diminished.
Malaz Foundation for Women's Support emphasizes that justice for survivors is not a secondary demand but a fundamental right. Genuine and sustainable peace cannot be achieved while the suffering of victims is ignored or while violations targeting women and girls on the basis of gender are overlooked.
On this occasion, the Foundation calls upon governments, international organizations, and human rights and humanitarian institutions to intensify their efforts to prevent sexual violence in conflicts, establish effective protection and response mechanisms, and ensure accountability and an end to impunity, recognizing that human dignity and rights are non-negotiable.
Malaz Foundation for Women's Support stands in solidarity with all survivors and reaffirms that victims' voices must be heard and that their rights to justice, redress, and recovery must remain a priority that never fades from the collective human conscience.
There can be no genuine peace without justice, no justice without redress for victims, and no secure future in a world where sexual violence is permitted to be used as a weapon of war.
