JOIN THE GLOBAL MOVEMENT TO END SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN CONFLICT
Sexual violence in conflict is real. It exists. And it affects people all over the world. It’s time to act to put a stop to it.
Supporting the call to end this injustice, the British and Australian Embassies are participating in a Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict hosted by British Foreign Secretary William Hague and one of the campaign’s staunchest supporters, Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Angelina Jolie.
If you want to be part of the global call to end sexual violence in conflict, let your voice be heard – at the ‘Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict’ to be held in London, United Kingdom from 10-13 June 2014.
The British and Australian embassies are looking for two young people who are passionate about this global issue to join a delegation composed of 10 women who have played key roles in conflict resolution and peace building who will attend the Global Summit in London.
If you are interested in attending the summit, then submit a short essay telling us what you think needs to be done to bring an end to sexual violence in conflict and how you make use of what you learn from attending the summit.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to make a difference as part of this important campaign.
The Global Summit to End Sexual Violence will be the largest gathering ever brought together on this subject, with a view to creating irreversible momentum against sexual violence in conflict and practical action that impacts those on the ground. The summit will also clearly situate this issue within the broader Women, Peace and Security agenda and be an opportunity to make further progress in the international community’s commitment to guaranteeing women’s full economic, social and political rights.
Mechanics:
- Download and complete the application form.
- Send completed applications to [email protected] with the subject line ‘Application for ESVI 2014 – [your name]’.
- Submissions should be in MS Word format only.
- Deadline of application is on 18 May, 11:59 PM Manila time. Applications received after this time will not be considered.
- Representatives from the British and Australian embassies will review applications and shortlisted applicants will be contacted on 19 – 20 May to organise interview times.
- Interviews will be conducted on 22 May at the British Embassy. Please ensure that you are available on that date.
Announcement of winners:
- Winners will be contacted via email on 26 May 2014.
- Winners will be awarded an all-expenses paid trip to attend the Global Summit in London.
- Airfare (Manila-London round trip), airport transfers in London, hotel accommodations, transfers to and from conference venue and hotel, meals, visa fees.
- The winning essays will be published in Rappler
Eligibility:
- Applicants must be between 18 – 30 years old of age as at 19 May 2014.
- They should have a valid Philippine passport for international travel (which does not expire within 6 months of the date of travel) and be eligible for a UK visa.
- Visa application is subject to UK immigration rules
- Staff from the British and Australian embassies and their families are unable to apply.
Download Application Form from the following web pages:
British Embassy Manila
Australian Embassy Manila
* By submitting your application, you agree to the rules and regulations stipulated above.
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Notes to News Editors:
Background:
In May 2012 the UK Foreign Secretary, William Hague, and the Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Angelina Jolie, launched the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI). Its goal is to end the culture of impunity for the use of sexual violence both as a tool and a side-effect of war worldwide. A Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict was launched at the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2013, with 144 governments (including the Philippines) endorsing the Declaration. The Declaration must be translated to practical action that delivers real progress on the ground in the fight against sexual violence in conflict.
Participation from the Philippines
The Philippine contribution to the Summit will be in two parts: the Government of the Philippines will send an official delegation to attend the ministerial portions of the Summit; and the British and Australian embassies will sponsor a delegation to attend the Summit’s Fringe.
The Fringe will be an integral part of the Summit as it aims to increase awareness and knowledge of the issues around sexual violence in conflict but also on wider related issues that are linked to root causes such as conflict prevention, women’s rights and participation, children affected by conflict, how conflict affects men and boys, international justice, and wider issues of violence against women and girls.. The Fringe will be composed of panel events, theatre performance, photo exhibitions and video presentations to showcase programmes and policies around the world. These will occur while the ministerial meetings are ongoing and will be open to the public.
One important way to end sexual violence in conflict is to ensure women play a meaningful role on conflict resolution processes. The recently-signed Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro has highlighted the important contribution of women to peace in the Philippines. The Agreement is the first major peace agreement in the world to be signed by a female chief negotiator.
To help promote the significant involvement of women in peace processes throughout the Philippines, the British and Australian embassies will jointly sponsor a delegation of 10 Filipino women who have played key roles in conflict resolution and the two competition winners to attend the Fringe. The delegation will get a chance to meet the more than 1,200 delegates, including government officials, international organisation representatives, and experts from across the world.