SOUTH SUDAN / SRSG SEXUAL VIOLENCE

During her week-long visit to South Sudan, United Nations (UN) Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten urged the leaders of the warring parties to take urgent steps to prevent violence against women and children, and to hold perpetrators accountable. UNMISS

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:17
• Production Date: 9 July 2018
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN SOUTH SUDAN – UNMISS
• Subject Topical: SEXUAL VIOLENCE
• Geographic Subject: SOUTH SUDAN
• MAMS Id: 2196093
• Parent Id: 2196093
• Alternate Title: unifeed180709a

Description

STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / SRSG SEXUAL VIOLENCE
TRT: 02:17
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 03 JULY AND 06 JULY 2018, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

Shotlist

03 JULY 2018, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

1. Wide shot, conference room in Malakal
2. Med shot, USG in conference room
3. Med shot, OTS USG at table

06 JULY 2018, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Pramila Patten, United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict:
“Rape and other forms of sexual violence are clearly a consistent, systematic feature of the conflict that has been used as a tactic of war to displaced population to disperse and instill fear within particular ethnic group.”
5. Med shot, local journalist asking USG a question
6. Wide shot, OTS, USG answering journalist
7. Med shot, OTS, USG addressing journalist
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Pramila Patten, United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict:
“I think that, right now, we are at the stage where it is cost free to rape, where it is cost free to rape a child of four years old, or it is cost free to rape a woman whatever her age and sex violence as a result has been fueled and exacerbated by this deep culture of impunity and hence addressing impunity and reversing this culture of impunity is critical.”
9. Med shot, journalist asking USG a question
10. Med shot, video Journalist lined up
11. Med shot, OTS, USG addressing Journalist
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Pramila Patten, United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict:
“We are dealing with a crime which is very unreported for all the reasons that I have outlined. Stigma, lack of access to justice, where do you go to report and who do you report to when soldiers in uniform have raped you and the stigma which all the women I met today told me that they had not reported.”
13. Wide shot, journalists

Storyline

During her week-long visit to South Sudan, United Nations (UN) Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten urged the leaders of the warring parties to take urgent steps to prevent violence against women and children and to hold perpetrators accountable.

Thousands of women and girls across South Sudan have suffered rape and other abuse during the brutal civil war which erupted in 2013.

SOUNDBITE (English) Pramila Patten, United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict:
“Rape and other forms of sexual violence are clearly a consistent, systematic feature of the conflict that has been used as a tactic of war to displaced population to disperse and instill fear within particular ethnic group.”

The Special Representative visited the world’s youngest country as part of a high-powered United Nations and African Union “solidarity” mission to the conflict-ridden country.

SOUNDBITE (English) Pramila Patten, United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict:
“I think that, right now, we are at the stage where it is cost free to rape, where it is cost free to rape a child of four years old, or it is cost free to rape a woman whatever her age and sex violence as a result has been fueled and exacerbated by this deep culture of impunity and hence addressing impunity and reversing this culture of impunity is critical.”

Patten credited the government with acknowledging the “massive” scale of sexual violence across the country. However, there was a lack of accountability and, while women craved justice, they were too afraid to report crimes against them.

SOUNDBITE (English) Pramila Patten, United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict:
“We are dealing with a crime which is very unreported for all the reasons that I have outlined. Stigma, lack of access to justice, where do you go to report and who do you report to when soldiers in uniform have raped you and the stigma which all the women I met today told me that they had not reported.”

Patten noted the urgent need for legal assistance, including a definition of rape and sexual violence that is in line with international legislative, and strengthening the rule of law. She reiterated that ending sexual violence in South Sudan was critical to building lasting peace lasting peace.