Human rights activist launches guidelines at UN on collecting evidence of sexual assault News
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Human rights activist launches guidelines at UN on collecting evidence of sexual assault

Human rights activist and 2018 Nobel Peace Prize winner Nadia Murad Wednesday announced the launch of a new global initiative for collecting evidence of sexual assault during war.

This new initiative, known as the Murad Code, was created through efforts from the UK government, Murad, and Institute for International Criminal Investigations. It aims to support survivors of sexual assault and to help survivors bring their perpetrators to justice through efficient means of documentation and investigation.

Because survivors of sexual assault face physical and emotional trauma after their attacks, the Murad Code will consider the trauma in responding to allegations of sexual misconduct. Additionally, bringing perpetrators to justice during armed conflict adds a secondary dynamic to the difficulty of efficient investigation.

The code includes a “survivor’s charter,” which will be prepared by survivors in telling how documenters should work with them to make them feel comfortable. The code combines international law sources, easy information sharing, and survivor-first initiatives.

Murad spoke to the UN in 2015 to discuss her own experience as a Yazidi woman subjugated to sexual violence in Iraq. The Murad Code aims to stop sexual violence and to help ensure others do not endure her same experience.

UK Minister Lord Triq Ahmed at the UN Security Council thanked Murad for her activism. He spoke of his hopes of making the Murad Code the “gold standard” for any organization who aims to help areas in conflict, such as Ethiopia, Syria, and Ukraine. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss called the launch of the guidelines “a vital step towards helping and supporting survivors and bringing perpetrators to justice for their crimes.”