The use of sexual violence in armed conflicts is one of the worst global challenges, not only because of its scale and prevalence but also because of its profound impact. Despite ongoing efforts to combat it, instances of conflict-related sexual violence continue to occur regularly in various regions, with recent examples including Ukraine and Ethiopia.

In response to this pressing concern, Prof. Dr. Ajla Škrbić (Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the Department of Law at  Freie Universität) convened the workshop, bringing together scholars and practitioners from diverse fields to examine different facets of combatting conflict-related sexual violence. The discussions aimed to explore comprehensive, survivor-centered approaches to the issue.

This interdisciplinary event gathered twenty experts from thirteen different countries, encompassing both established and emerging voices from academia and practice. Notably, the workshop bridged the gap between academic discourse and practical discussions, fostering a unique exchange of ideas. The workshop concluded with insights shared by Prof. Kim Thuy Seelinger, a Professor and Director of the Center for Human Rights, Gender, and Migration at Washington University and Special Adviser on Sexual Violence in Conflict to the ICC Prosecutor.

As part of the workshop, keynote lectures were delivered on May 12 in the Henry Ford Building. Prof. Christine Chinkin (CMG, FBA, Emerita Professor of International Law, Professorial Research Fellow, and Founding Director of the Centre of Women Peace & Security at the London School of Economics and Political Science) and Ms. Michelle Jarvis (Deputy Head of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism – Syria, former Prosecutor at the ICTY and the MICT, and the inaugural Coordinator of the Prosecuting Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Network) provided valuable insights. Additionally, speeches were given by Prof. Günter M. Ziegler, President of Freie Universität Berlin, and H.E. Jadranka Winbow, the Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Germany.

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Freie Universität Berlin, and the Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Germany generously supported the workshop and the keynote lectures.

A compilation of selected works from the workshop will be published as an edited volume in the near future.