A/HRC/26/17 E/CN.6/2014/8 institutional barriers often prevent them from exercising their human rights. 10 The pursuit of justice and of psychosocial, health-care and legal services is even more challenging in conflict, post-conflict and transitional settings. Weakened social and community bonds, the inability to enforce legal sanctions and the erosion of response mechanisms in such contexts frequently result in entrenched impunity for gender-based violence. 22. Research on and documentation of the scale and impact of gender-based violence during conflict are growing. 11 Some research suggests that sexual violence affects between 4.3 per cent and 22 per cent of women in conflict situations. Other studies suggest that between one in four and one in three women experience sexual violence in conflict settings. 12 23. Currently, 15 per cent of Trust Fund grantees are implementing programmes that address violence in conflict-related contexts. In 2012, the Trust Fund established a three-year thematic window on violence against women in conflict, post-conflict and transitional contexts. By 2015, this will generate much-needed knowledge on preventing and responding to violence against women and girls in these settings. 24. The non-governmental organization Physicians for Human Rights is leveraging support from the Trust Fund to overcome obstacles in reporting and documenting conflict-related sexual violence and to improve survivors’ access to services. 25. A critical challenge in addressing systematic sexual violence in conflict zones is the difficulty in prosecuting crimes and providing redress. Lawyers, police and health professionals often lack the requisite skills and experience, medical examinations are rarely conducted, medical charts fail to document findings and there is limited awareness of the roles and responsibilities of public officials. In order to address these obstacles, Physicians for Human Rights is building medico-legal networks in five African countries: the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, the Sudan and Uganda. The programme is improving data collection and the documentation of the forensic evidence required for criminal investigations by offering specialized forensic training and by strengthening the communication channels and coordination pathways between health, law enforcement and legal officials. 26. The organization has established two medico-legal networks of 340 professionals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Kenya. Network participants report improved communication and coordination across sectors, greater knowledge and awareness of the evidence required to strengthen legal cases and increased skills in documenting, collecting and preserving forensic evidence of sexual violence. Health-care and legal service providers are addressing the specific needs of survivors in order to mitigate the risk of further traumatization, creating an environment in which survivors can safely tell their story. __________________ 10 11 12 13-61736 UN-Women, “Progress of the World’s Women: In Pursuit of Justice” (2011-2012) (New York, 2012), pp. 52-53. See the Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict dataset, available from www.sexualviolencedata.org/ dataset/. Jo Spangaro and others, “What is the evidence of the impact of initiatives to reduce risk and incidence of sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict zones and other humanitarian crises in lower- and middle-income countries? A systematic review” (London, EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, 2013), p. 17. 7/16