G8 summit: ministers discuss ending sexual violence
Combating the use of rape and sexual violence in conflict will be on the agenda today when foreign ministers from the G8 group of wealthy countries meet in London for a two-day summit.
Britain holds the presidency of the G8 and is pushing for a new international protocol on the investigation of sexual violence in conflict situations and assistance to affected countries.
Last month, Channel 4 News travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with Foreign Secretary William Hague and Hollywood actress and UN special envoy Angelina Jolie, who are campaigning against the use of rape as a weapon of war.
This is about preventing conflict, resolving conflict, dealing with its consequences. William Hague
They spoke to survivors of sexual violence and talked to doctors and lawyers about what can be done to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Mr Hague also announced funds to help survivors and improve healthcare in DRC.
Urgent issues
Ministers from the UK, US, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Canada and Russia are likely to discuss urgent foreign policy issues, including North Korea, Syria and Iran.
Speaking on the BBC, Mr Hague said: “This is about preventing conflict, resolving conflict, dealing with its consequences – that means top of the agenda will be dealing with Syria and the situation in Syria, which continues to get worse.
“We will also be discussing North Korea… and top of my personal agenda will be, with reference to the Save the Children report on sexual abuse and violence in conflict, I’m trying to get the G8 nations together to support my initiative on this and to make sure the culture of impunity, that people think they can get away with such things in war, is brought to an end.
“It requires a lot of international agreement and unity, I hope we can really start that at this meeting,”
But the British presidency is also pushing for action on Somalia, which it sees as an important security issue.
The government wants the help of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to support growth and economic development.
It is also pressing for international investment in Burma and Arab Spring countries.