NEW YORK, NY – In response to the release of the United Nations’ annual Report of the Secretary-General on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, Carol Ann Schwartz, National President of Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, released the following statement:
“For the second year in a row, the United Nations report shows record levels of conflict-related sexual violence. This represents a profound global moral failure and demands that the UN and governments around the world put a stop to the unacceptable weaponization of rape. We must stand up to support survivors and demand justice.
“We are glad to see that the UN has finally listed Hamas as a party credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for sexual violence. Nearly 700 days since October 7, 2023, this action to hold Hamas accountable for systematically weaponizing sexual violence is long overdue, especially following the significant evidence collected by reputable bodies around the world – including the UN itself – that clearly documents Hamas’ extensive weaponization of rape and other forms of sexual assault against Israeli men, women and girls, and against the hostages it kidnapped and continues to hold in captivity.
“This is just the first step. The UN must vigorously pursue justice and advance measures to hold Hamas accountable for crimes against humanity. Failure to act will only further embolden violent extremists across the world to perpetrate these heinous acts.
“Hadassah has been a leading voice on this issue. Through our End The Silence campaign, we mobilized over 150,000 people and hundreds of organizations in nearly 120 countries to demand that the UN denounce Hamas’ use of rape as a weapon of war and pursue accountability.
“We continue to demand justice for Hamas’ victims and call for the immediate release of the remaining hostages. We also continue to work to end conflict-related sexual violence around the world and encourage all nations to adopt an international protocol to help ensure that when such violence occurs, evidence is collected in a way that expedites justice and accountability and treats survivors with dignity.”