The final Session of the European Leadership Conference to commemorate the 63rd Human Rights Day entitled, 'The Prevention of Sexual Violence Especially in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo', was chaired by the host, Dr Charles Tannock MEP.

The first speaker Humphrey Hawksley, the BBC World Affairs Correspondent and author, (photo below - next to Charlotte Simon) in a call for new legislation in the EU, compared the efforts of the United States in this matter with the inadequate response of the EU to the 'conflict minerals' that are to be found in many of our laptops and mobile phones. As much as 80% of the world's coltan comes from Congo. Most of these are sourced from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and fund and give rise to the war torn region's violence and notorious rape statistics. (for more information see Hawksley's article in Yale Global Online).

'Prevention and Eradication of Torture'

European Parliament 

The final two sessions of the European Leadership Conference were held in the European Parliament co-sponsored with  the NGO ‘Freedom from Torture’ and hosted by Dr Charles Tannock MEP (photo right).  Session 7, entitled “Prevention & Eradication of Torture”, featured Mr. Keith Best, (centre in photo) the Chief Executive Officer of 'Freedom from Torture' which campaigns for the eradication of torture and helps the victims who have suffered torture. The second speaker was one of those victims, Ms. Philomène Uwamaliya (left in photo), a member of the Survivors Speaking Out network.

UNIVERSAL PEACE FEDERATION   &   WOMEN'S FEDERATION FOR WORLD PEACE

EUROPEAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

Held at European Economic & Social Committee/European Parliament, Brussels

 "What more can Europe do to improve Human Rights"

Address of Dr Yong Cheon Song, Chair, Universal Peace Federation, Europe

Distinguished guests, Ambassadors for Peace, Ladies & Gentlemen! As Chair of Universal Peace Federation in Europe, it is truly an honour and a privilege to be able to extend a warm welcome to you all to the European Economic and Social Committee here in Brussels and to our European Leadership Conference on the theme “What more can Europe do to improve Human Rights?”

I am deeply grateful to you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to be with us here this morning and to the E.E.S.C. for acting as co-hosts of this conference and for welcoming us here to their magnificent building!

Universal Peace Federation

Women's Federation for World Peace

European Economic and Social Committee

European Leadership Conference

December 4^th – 5^th 2012, Brussels

“How Can Europe Do More to Advance

Human Rights”

Commemorating Human Rights Day 2012

Brussels - European Parliament & European Economic and Social Committee

Oslo, Norway 2012-09-22

Civilians are the victims of contemporary wars. These wars are fought against the civilians and the aim of the war is to destroy the civil society.

In WWI 10 % of the victims were civilians. That figure increased to 45% in WWII, and in contemporary wars more than 90 % of the victims are civilians.The warriors direct their guided missiles, the Drones in a safe distance from the affected civilians.

Women and children are those most exposed to violence. Rape is used as a tactic of war and the sexual violence is horrifying. In DR Congo and earlier in Rwanda HIV-infected men used rapes as a calculated violence towards the enemy. There are reports from Amnesty International stating more than 40.000 women were raped in the wars of DR Congo. Tragically, this continues, also in Kenya, Burma, Colombia and other theaters of war.