By Selma Neshiko
WINDHOEK– In June, the United Kingdom (UK) will be hosting a Global Summit aimed at ending sexual violence in conflict.
In doing so, the British High Commission (BHC), the Human Rights Documentation Centre (HRDC) of the University of Namibia (Unam), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are hosting a Model United Nations (UN) under the theme ‘Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict’ at the Unam campus on June 7 as part of the pre global summit.
Twenty-one Namibian students, representing 21 different countries, will debate in a Model UN simulation ‘Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict’ initiative and come up with a resolution to feed into the discussions of the global PSVI summit taking place in London on June, 10-13.
Twelve out of the 21 countries that will be represented at the Model UN simulation have representations in Namibia. The participating students will be addressed by a representative from the Namibian Government and by Musinga T. Bandora, the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Representative.At the end of the Model UN simulation regarding PSVI, the Unam students will come up with a declaration, which the BHC will share with the UK’s Foreign Secretary, William Hague,and the Namibian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Netumbo- Nandi Ndaitwah, who will attend the PSVI Summit in London, on behalf of the Namibian government.
The Model UN will take place at the New Library Building, Video-Conferencing Room, Unam, main campus from 08h00 to 17h30. The Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict will be co-chaired by the Foreign Secretary and Angelina Jolie, the Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. This will be the largest gathering ever brought together on this subject, with a view to creating irreversible momentum against sexual violence in conflict and practical action that impact those on the ground. All the governments that have endorsed the UN Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict are invited, as well as legal, military and judicial practitioners and representatives from multilateral organisations, NGOs and civil society.