War zone rape summit kicks off in London - Europe - Al Jazeera English

11.6.14

War zone rape summit kicks off in London - Europe - Al Jazeera English: Opening the summit in London's docklands on Tuesday, actress and UN envoy Angelina Jolie said political will was needed globally to treat sexual violence as a priority and tackle a culture of impunity.

"It is a myth that rape is an inevitable part of conflict. It is a weapon of war aimed at civilians," she said.

"We need to see real commitment and go after the worst perpetrators, to fund proper protection for vulnerable people, and to step in to help the worst-affected countries."

Jolie was speaking alongside British foreign secretary William Hague, who is co-hosting the summit with her.

Hague and Jolie are scheduled to launch an international protocol on Wednesday to help strengthen prosecutions for rape in conflicts.