UN ACTION

UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN Action) STOP RAPE NOW unites the work of 13 UN system entities with the goal of ending sexual violence during and in the wake of conflict. Launched in 2007, it is a  concerted  effort  by  the  UN system  to  improve  coordination and  accountability,  amplify programming and advocacy, and support national efforts to prevent sexual violence and respond effectively  to  the  needs  of survivors. UN Action is chaired by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict (SRSG-SVC), a post currently held by Zainab Hawa Bangura, who assumed the post in September 2012. UN Action structures its  planning and activities around three pillars: (i) Country-Level Action, which includes strategic support to UN Missions and UN Country Teams to help design Comprehensive Strategies to combat conflict-related sexual violence; incorporate early-warning indicators of sexual violence into their existing monitoring systems; and build systems to monitor, analyse and report on patterns and trends in conflict-related sexual violence as a means to target perpetrator impunity and improve service provision for survivors; (ii) Advocacy for Action by raising public awareness through the Stop Rape Now Campaign and the Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence Against Women campaign; generating political will on this issue, including by contributing to and shaping messaging for the Secretary-General’s annual report, which serves as a global advocacy instrument; and supporting the public engagements, statements and missions of the SRSG-SVC; and (iii) Knowledge-Building, through research and the development of tools to improve data collection and analysis, enhanced provision of services, and training to improve protection and prevention.