Violence against girls and women was accepted as an inevitable aspect of violence and warfare before a critical examination into how sexual assault and violence were used to target and undermine state sovereignty. International actors, such as the United Nations, framed violence against women as a threat to national security, notably passing UNSCR 1325, which explicitly addresses the issue. Gender-based violence in security. They also passed UNSCR 1820, which framed gender-based violence as a “weapon of war.”
One of the main flaws within the UN Security Council resolutions was the limited scope to demilitarize countries, especially considering that the main actors within the council all have growing rates of weapon proliferation. Security Council members such as the United States, which has permanent veto power on the Security Council, have directly profited from increased militarization within the military-industrial complex.
An estimate shows that US-based companies made $157.5 billion in the 2023 fiscal year through weapons sales and manufacturing, with trade worldwide. Nearly 4.4% of the global economy is dependent on perpetuating violence, amounting to around 2.4 trillion dollars in total commerce—with all members of the Permanent Security Council spending considerable amounts on militarization efforts.
The rising trend of militarization within the United Nations has prompted significant initiatives aimed at combating violence against women. However, countries like the United States are profiting from the arms trade, with reports indicating that US arms manufacturers have supplied weapons to the Congo, capitalizing on the resulting instability for financial gain. There is a direct link between weapons proliferation and increased militarism. When there is growing militarism in the context outside of war, women are the ones to suffer the repercussions of a hyper-masculine mindset of “national security,” creating ongoing cycles of violence. This is clearly antithetical to the security council doctrines that major powers have signed onto.
The idea of using international organizations to protect women and girls from violence during wartime has faced significant scrutiny, especially during the UN’s intervention in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Unfortunately, some UN peacekeepers were involved in violent behavior themselves, which perpetuated the existing cycles of violence and even led to personal gains from the country’s valuable natural resources. The situation was dire: in 2008 alone, nearly 200,000 women were raped or suffered some form of sexual violence. It’s important to acknowledge that these figures likely understate the true extent of the problem, as many cases go unreported due to the cultural stigma surrounding sexual violence.
Accountability and the Impact of UN Peacekeeping on Gender-Based Violence
Studies in the Democratic Republic of Congo have confirmed the relationship between aggressive institutions and rising levels of male rape subcultures, or fraternity subcultures, which essentially encourage sexual violence against women and girls in the context of war. International actors such as the UN were flawed from the beginning due to personal interests and gains from militarization, therefore purposefully leaving out efforts of demilitarization within the Security Council resolutions; without practical and unionized efforts to demilitarize throughout the world, there will be a continued cycle of violence against women and girls by supporting an international culture of hyper-masculinity.
United Nations efforts to curb sexual violence and gender-based violence during the Congo war also backfired, with many records of UN peacekeeping forces contributing to the gender-based violence within the country. Because there is no accountability within the UN and the organization is an independent actor, many of these human rights violations can be overlooked, fostering a culture of little accountability within the forces.
The 2007 progress report submitted to the UN General Assembly accounts that Mission de l’Organisation des Nations Unies en Republique democratique du Congo [United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo] (MONUC) bought sexually enslaved people in exchange for food. The lack of oversight of non-governmental agents’ behaviors during peacekeeping missions is a severe concern regarding how peacekeeping missions are carried out, especially in countries where there is already an extensive history of sexual violence against women.
Independent investigations have shown that there were UN peacekeeping violations of gender-based violence against girls ages 12-15 in various countries, such as Bosnia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and other countries. However, most studies have been done on the DRC. The non-governmental agents are also held to limited accountability due to the impermanence of the position, which gives further incentive to participate in sexual violence and provides an environment for exploitation.
The Need for Stronger International Accountability
Although the UN has defined violence against women and girls as a legitimate security threat and an issue that needs to be addressed, international organizations have failed to combat the violence effectively and have often perpetuated the violence further. There have been countless examples in the Congo where the UN has failed to act to demilitarize due to personal interests.
Without taking actionable changes to support the commitments made in the UN Security Council doctrines, these patterns of violence will continue. UN Peacekeepers need to adopt a strong code against violence against women, with the body internally investigating reports of violence committed by Peacekeepers.
UN Security Council members also need to make genuine commitments to demilitarization and refrain from continuing the proliferation of arms deals within conflict zones — increasing violence in order to increase personal profit. Studies show a clear correlation between militarism and the rise of violence, and there needs to be tangible action taken by leading countries in order to see a decrease in militarized conflicts.
