WUCWO's General President, Monica Santamarina, on behalf of all the women who are part of WUCWO, participated in the symposium on conflict-related sexual violence, organised by the UK Embassy to the Holy See and Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) at the Jesuit Curia in Rome. At the event, Monica signed along with more than 450 faith leaders the Declaration of Humanity by Leaders of Faith and Belief, a manifesto to reaffirm the commitment of religious communities to fight sexual violence in conflict contexts.

This is the third time that WUCWO has participated in this series of meetings, organised by the UK Embassy, to end conflict-related sexual violence. On this occasion, the focus was on the role of the Catholic Church and other faith-based organisations in preventing and responding to this crisis, especially through education. During her intervention, Monica presented data from The Cry of African Women, a WUCWO Observatory project to listen to women's experiences of violence and discrimination on the African continent.

Principles of the signed manifesto

The Declaration of Humanity reaffirms the inherent dignity of all people and engages leaders to:

• Condemn without exception all acts of sexual violence in conflict contexts and encourage their communities to do the same.
• Affirm the value and equality of survivors and children born of rape in conflict, and advocate for their total respect and full integration into society.
• Reject the stigma that often accompanies survivors of sexual violence in conflict, denouncing it as a weapon that destroys families and communities.
• Recognise and honour the independence, hope and resilience of victims, supporting their right to a future of their own.

Signatories committed themselves, among other things, to act to prevent such violence and to protect vulnerable people.

Other voices at the Symposium

In addition to the intervention of the WUCWO President General, there were contributions from various specialists, including Erica Hall, Head of Policy and Government Relations at World Vision UK, and a presentation by Victor Sertibo, National Director of the Jesuit Refugee Service in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This was followed by a panel discussion on how to promote prevention through education. Highlights of the conversation included interventions by Sheila Kinsey, fcjm, representative of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative in Rome, who addressed the challenges of networking in Uganda, highlighting the difficulties and opportunities involved in this approach in the local context. From a community perspective, Moses Mukasa, Inter-regional Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Officer, JRS Eastern and Southern Africa, addressed the impact of gender-based violence in Africa, highlighting the need for justice for survivors as an imperative for social cohesion. Finally, Stephanie MacGillivray, Senior Officer for Women's Empowerment and Inclusion, Caritas International, shared good practices of the HLS programme in Tigray, Ethiopia, describing practices that have proven effective in that context.

The powerful testimony of Daniela Alba, a survivor who called for action to confront this violence that affects so many women, as well as to fight against the stigma that often becomes a heavy burden, was particularly noteworthy.

This event underlines the importance of uniting religious communities to protect human rights and accompany victims of violence, promoting dignity and justice at all levels. From now on, WUCWO members must be more than ever committed to putting an end to this evil, as well as accompanying all our sisters who suffer.