Action is needed right now to end sexual violence in conflict | Angelina Jolie

Despite pledges from governments worldwide, not nearly enough has been done over the past decade to help survivors and deter perpetrators

Almost a decade ago, more than 150 countries joined the global declaration of commitment to end sexual violence in conflict. They promised to bring perpetrators to justice, to put survivors' needs first, and to take other practical steps to end impunity.

These were lofty goals and there has been some progress, including a few prosecutions at the national level, the adoption of the Murad Code and the establishment of the Global Survivors Fund. But it has not been nearly enough to meet the needs of survivors, or to deter perpetrators from using rape as a weapon of war in almost every new conflict in the past decade.