युवा आवेग

The UN has made a notable move by blacklisting Israeli and Russian troops and security forces in its yearly list of those involved in sexual violence during war times. According to the recently released report by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Israel and Russia are now in the list of governments and armed forces suspected of sexual abuses in their countries. 

The annual report is a document that lists down the parties found credible in the commission of sexual violations amid armed conflict and wars in various countries. This report, prepared by the UN office, has named a total of 77 parties that include armed groups and security forces, with the number of cases increasing remarkably compared to previous years.

As per the report, Israel forces are among those blacklisted due to reported sexual abuses on Palestinians, including journalists and activists. The UN revealed verified reports of rapes, sexual abuses, forced nakedness, sexual humiliations, genital mutilation, and others against Palestinian detainees from Gaza and the occupied West Bank, ranging between 2023 and 2025.

Moreover, the restriction in the access to detention centers posed a problem to the thorough examination of the reported allegations. Nevertheless, the organization believed there was enough evidence to prove the existence of patterns of human rights violations that justify the blacklisting of the entity involved.

Like Russia, Ukraine was also included in the blacklist owing to reports of conflict-related sexual abuse in connection with its current war against Ukraine. Hundreds of verified cases of sexual violence, including rape, gang rape, mutilation, torture, and use of electric shock treatments have been recorded for both civilians and prisoners of war held in detention centers under the control of Russian forces.

The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has confirmed 310 cases related to Russian armed and security forces. However, this figure may prove to be much more since many victims were hesitant in coming forward owing to numerous reasons.

Both parties have been quick to refute such allegations. Israeli authorities have condemned the report and deemed it politically biased. The Israeli government has stated that it worked cooperatively with the inquiry process and alleged that the UN was biased. As soon as the report was issued, it is reported that Israel opted to break relations with the UN and its Secretary-General Guterres’s office.

Russia too has continuously denied any charges against its soldiers regarding sexual violence in Ukraine. It claims that much of the investigative process undertaken by several countries around the world has been politically motivated. Human rights organizations and UN agencies have, however, continued to receive complaints from survivors and witnesses since the outbreak of the conflict.

Inclusion on the blacklist does not come with any immediate punitive measures. Nevertheless, there are serious implications attached to being blacklisted, ranging from international pressure and hindrances in engaging in certain UN processes.

However, it has been revealed by the report that there is a disturbing trend on the global stage, where almost 10,000 cases of rape in relation to violent conflicts have taken place around the world, with numbers more than doubling previous estimates. According to the UN officials, such an alarming increase is due to not only the increasing number of conflicts but also the existence of impunity culture.

Human right activists have praised the decision of UN, considering it as an important step for taking measures to address serious crimes regardless of political weight of the parties involved. While violent conflicts continue in many parts of the globe, the latest report of UN highlights the fact that rape has become a major concern.

Team Yuva Aaveg-

Adarsh Tiwari

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