Our Generation for Inclusive Peace is proud to launch our first ever research series. Alongside regular blog posts on a variety of topics, OGIP will release a research series every four months that will allow in depth analysis, commentary and exploration of a specific theme. The research themes will be sourced from young activists and advocates engaged in peace and security, to ensure the research series remain pertinent and responsive to the topics concerning young people. The research series is a space for young people working in peace and security or affected by conflict, whose voices are often marginalised from mainstream research and policy discussions, to express their views and promote their perspectives. We will release six pieces of research - stories, academic articles, or artwork - every two weeks over the next few months with the first piece being released next week.
The theme for the first of OGIP’s research series is “Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict” - a topic at the heart of the Women Peace and Security agenda which has been the subject of a huge amount of study and research over the last few decades. In recent years, there has been increased focus from Governments around the globe on this topic, following the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict held by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 2014. The summit was a landmark moment bringing unprecedented political attention to the subject of sexual violence, with heads of state, policy makers and activists from around the world taking note of this long negelcted issue. The global summit was part of the UK Government’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI), through which the UK has situated themselves as world leaders on sexual violence in conflict and used their influence to prompt other countries to commit to adressing sexual violence in coflict. In 2020 the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office are looking to hold another conference in London to mark the five year anniversary of PSVI and to bring renewed energy to the initiative.
PSVI seeks to be a global initiative but its roots remain western centric, thus at the international conference it will be essential for western policy makers to listen to the voices of activists and advocates, including survivors of sexual violence, from around the globe to inform the initiative going forward. OGIP want to seize this anniversary and moment of increased global attention to push forward the conversation on PSVI by promoting diverse experiences of young advocates and researchers engaged with the issue of sexual violence in conflict globally through their study, advocacy or work with survivors.
Despite increased awareness, sexual violence remains endemic in conflict and survivors rights are rarely the subject of peace negotiations and ageements. In early 2020 PSVI has come under significant scrutiny following a report by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) which gave the initiative an amber/red assessment. The report cites a lack of “clear strategy and overall vision”, deficient leadership and resource, and short funding cycles for PSVI projects as just some of the reasons for PSVI’s inability to make significant headway in tackling sexual violence. Most notably the ICAI report notes the lack of meaningful engagement of survivors in the “choice design and implementation of projects” under the PSVI umbrella. The lack of consultations with those affected by sexual violence is symptomatic of many failed policies in this space. The theme of the upcoming conference on PSVI is “putting survivors first”, and in order to embody this intention PSVI must be incorporated into a clear vision and concrete objectives, and any PSVI projects must be grounded in sustainable approaches with survivors experiences at the centre. It is clear from the report that western policy makers have remained disconnected from the realities of sexual violence in conflict, and policy decisions have been made in isolation without consulting those affected.
This research series will platform the voices of young people around the world engaged in the field of sexual violence in conflict - either in their work or study - and those affected by violence. This work is a step towards diversifying research and policy recommendations in this space. The research series will highlight the experiences of survivors of sexual violence and explore the continuum of violence - from peace time to conflict, from private to public - in the hope of driving forward the agenda and bringing about sustainable change that centres survivors and the experiences of young feminists engaged in the prevention of sexual violence in conflict.
If you are interested in publishing a piece for this research series please complete our submission form and if you would like to suggest a theme for our next research series Please get in contact on OGIPresearch@gmail.com - we would love to hear from you!