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UN classifies rape a 'war tactic' UN classifies rape a 'war tactic'
(about 1 hour later)
The UN Security Council has voted unanimously in favour of a resolution classifying rape as a weapon of war.The UN Security Council has voted unanimously in favour of a resolution classifying rape as a weapon of war.
The document describes the deliberate use of rape as a tactic in war and a threat to international security.The document describes the deliberate use of rape as a tactic in war and a threat to international security.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said violence against women had reached "unspeakable proportions" in some societies recovering from conflict.UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said violence against women had reached "unspeakable proportions" in some societies recovering from conflict.
"Responding to this silent war against women and girls requires leadership at the national level," Mr Ban said. The UN is also setting up an inquiry to report next June on how widespread the practice is and how to tackle it.
Human rights group hailed the resolution as historic.
'Silent war'
The US-sponsored resolution was adopted unanimously by the 15-member Council.
It described sexual violence as "a tactic of war to humiliate, dominate, instil fear in, disperse and/or forcibly relocate civilian members of a community or ethnic group".
The document said that the violence "can significantly exacerbate situations of armed conflict and may impede the restoration of international peace and security".
During the debate in the Council, Mr Ban said: "Responding to this silent war against women and girls requires leadership at the national level."
"National authorities need to take the initiative to build comprehensive strategies while the UN needs to help build capacity and support national authorities and civil societies," he added."National authorities need to take the initiative to build comprehensive strategies while the UN needs to help build capacity and support national authorities and civil societies," he added.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the world now recognised that sexual violence profoundly affected not only the health and safety of women, but the economic and social stability of their nations.US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the world now recognised that sexual violence profoundly affected not only the health and safety of women, but the economic and social stability of their nations.
Other speakers in the debate at the 15-member Council identified the former Yugoslavia, Sudan's Darfur region, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Liberia as regions where deliberate sexual violence had occurred on a mass scale. Other speakers identified the former Yugoslavia, Sudan's Darfur region, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Liberia as regions where deliberate sexual violence had occurred on a mass scale.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo alone, some 40 women are raped every day, the BBC's Laura Trevelyan says.In the Democratic Republic of Congo alone, some 40 women are raped every day, the BBC's Laura Trevelyan says.
The UN is also setting up an inquiry to report next June on how widespread the practice is, and to make recommendations on how to tackle it. Sometimes women are even raped by peacekeepers who are supposed to be protecting them, our correspondent adds.
The question is whether those in conflict zones who use rape in war will be at all deterred by the new measures, she adds.