Actress Angelina Jolie joined forces with Foreign Secretary William Hague as the UK pledged to spend a further £10million on tackling sexual violence and harm to women in war zones.
Jolie, who is a special envoy for the UN Human Rights Council, joined Mr Hague at a meeting of the G8 foreign ministers in London this afternoon to make the commitment.
Mr Hague said the deal was necessary to 'end the treatment of rape and sexual violence as a secondary issue and to put women and women's rights front and centre in conflict resolution.'
The UK's pledge will make up part of an overall £23 million package pledged by the G8 nations.
Half of the money (£5 million) will come from the Foreign Office (FCO), while the other half will come from the Department for International Development (DfID).
Addressing the media after the meeting at Lancaster House, Jolie welcomed the G8 pledge.
She said: 'I have heard survivors of rape from Bosnia to the DR Congo say that they feel that they world simply does not care about them and who can blame them.
'For too long they have been the forgotten victims of war, responsible for none of the harm but bearing the worst of the pain.
'But today I believe their voices have been heard and that we finally have some hope to offer.
'I welcome the long overdue stand the G8 has taken and this landmark declaration.'
Mr Hague said: 'We need to shrink and eradicate safe havens for those responsible for war-zone rape and this is a step towards doing that.'
He said that part of the funding would go into training the military to respond to conflict sexual violence.
That training will be extended to peacekeeping groups of other nations..
He added: 'This is an absolutely crucial step, since members of armed forces are often the first to come into contact with survivors and could also have an important role to play in helping to change male attitudes.
'Now that we have put war-zone rape on the international agenda, it must never slip off it again and it must be given even greater prominence.
'Ending the 17th and 18th Century slave trade was deemed impossible and it was eradicated.
'Achieving global action against landmines, cluster munitions, climate change, was thought impossible, yet the world acts on these issues.
'Only two weeks ago we secured an international arms trade treaty, one that many people thought could never be adopted.
'And today we know the facts about sexual violence in conflict and we have the means to address it, so we must not look away or rest until the world faces up to its responsibilities to eradicate this violence.'
Mr Hague and the actress, flanked by the other G8 nations foreign ministers were also joined on stage by Zainab Bangura, the Special Representative for the UN on sexual violence in conflict.
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: 'Britain will not stand on the sidelines while so many are denied the chance to reach their full potential and live safe, happy lives.
'We know that girls and women are at their most vulnerable at times of conflict or humanitarian disaster but we need to know what works best to tackle the terrible, often sexual, violence they face.'
Jolie, who is a special envoy for the UN Human Rights Council, joined Mr Hague at a meeting of the G8 foreign ministers in London this afternoon to make the commitment.
Mr Hague said the deal was necessary to 'end the treatment of rape and sexual violence as a secondary issue and to put women and women's rights front and centre in conflict resolution.'
The UK's pledge will make up part of an overall £23 million package pledged by the G8 nations.
Half of the money (£5 million) will come from the Foreign Office (FCO), while the other half will come from the Department for International Development (DfID).
Addressing the media after the meeting at Lancaster House, Jolie welcomed the G8 pledge.
She said: 'I have heard survivors of rape from Bosnia to the DR Congo say that they feel that they world simply does not care about them and who can blame them.
'For too long they have been the forgotten victims of war, responsible for none of the harm but bearing the worst of the pain.
'But today I believe their voices have been heard and that we finally have some hope to offer.
'I welcome the long overdue stand the G8 has taken and this landmark declaration.'
Mr Hague said: 'We need to shrink and eradicate safe havens for those responsible for war-zone rape and this is a step towards doing that.'
He said that part of the funding would go into training the military to respond to conflict sexual violence.
That training will be extended to peacekeeping groups of other nations..
He added: 'This is an absolutely crucial step, since members of armed forces are often the first to come into contact with survivors and could also have an important role to play in helping to change male attitudes.
'Now that we have put war-zone rape on the international agenda, it must never slip off it again and it must be given even greater prominence.
'Ending the 17th and 18th Century slave trade was deemed impossible and it was eradicated.
'Achieving global action against landmines, cluster munitions, climate change, was thought impossible, yet the world acts on these issues.
'Only two weeks ago we secured an international arms trade treaty, one that many people thought could never be adopted.
'And today we know the facts about sexual violence in conflict and we have the means to address it, so we must not look away or rest until the world faces up to its responsibilities to eradicate this violence.'
Mr Hague and the actress, flanked by the other G8 nations foreign ministers were also joined on stage by Zainab Bangura, the Special Representative for the UN on sexual violence in conflict.
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: 'Britain will not stand on the sidelines while so many are denied the chance to reach their full potential and live safe, happy lives.
'We know that girls and women are at their most vulnerable at times of conflict or humanitarian disaster but we need to know what works best to tackle the terrible, often sexual, violence they face.'
Source: DailyMail
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