International Law and Sexual Violence in Armed Conflicts

Sexual violence is a particular brand of evil that women have endured—more than men—during armed conflicts, through the ages. It is a menace that has continued to challenge the conscience of humanity—especially in our times. At the international level, basic laws aimed at preventing it are not in short supply. What is needed is a more conscious determination to enforce existing laws. This book explores ways of doing just that; thereby shoring up international legal protection of women from sexual violence in armed conflicts.

Chile Eboe-Osuji, LLD, is a barrister in Nigeria and Canada. He has an extensive record of experience and scholarship in applied international criminal law and international human rights law. This book was finalised during his successive positions as the Head of Chambers at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (Arusha, 2010) and as the Legal Advisor to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (Geneva, 2011).

"Chile Eboe-Osuji’s book is a welcome effort in the field of international law. Indeed, Chile Eboe-Osuji’s book aims at guiding international lawyers in presenting their cases to the courts to secure a conviction through an effective interpretation of the current rules. For this reason, Chile Eboe-Osuji’s should be seen as a major academic contribution in the fight against sexual violence during armed conflicts."
Vincent Roobaert, Assistant Legal Adviser, NCI Agency2, NATO legal Gazette, issue 31, pp. 55-58.

"Eboe-Osuji skillfully illuminates many of the weaknesses in the present jurisprudence surrounding sexual violence, while also recognizing the significant advances made by international criminal tribunals in this area since the 1990s. The book will likely be of significant use not only to prosecutors, judges, and defense counsel who practice in the trenches of international criminal law, but also to scholars who stand to benefit from an insider's account of the various procedural, evidentiary, and doctrinal challenges that tribunals face in enforcing laws against sexual violence during armed conflict"
American Journal of International Law, July 2013