Leiden University Student Repository

Fuster, Lea (2024)

From Rhetoric to Reality: The ineffectiveness of the United Nations in combating conflict-related sexual violence against girls and women

Master thesis | Political Science (MSc)

Sexual violence against girls and women in times of conflict is a widespread and devastating human rights violation worldwide. With this issue increasingly recognized as an international security issue, the international community has begun to take steps to address it. Yet, despite a large number of measures implemented by the United Nations (UN), conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) persists. This thesis explores the UN’s ineffectiveness in combating CRSV. Drawing on a comparative case study of the Iraq war and the South Sudan conflict, this paper seeks to understand how the UN’s legitimacy and resources may be at the root of this ineffectiveness. The results of this research contribute to a better understanding of the complexities of sexual and gender-based violence in different conflict contexts, and provide insight into strategies to strengthen the UN’s capacity to prevent and respond to these violations of human rights.

Author

Fuster, Lea

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

International Organisation

Supervisors

Bayramov, A.G.

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en