PSVI Conference - Justice for Lai Dai Han

THE PREVENTING SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN CONFLICT INITIATIVE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

November, 2022

JLDH participated in the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Conference convened by the UK government and hosted Westminster between 28-29 November 2022. The event was the first international conference of its kind since the 2014 Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, bringing together almost 1,000 delegates from across 70 countries including policy makers, activists, practitioners, representatives from NGOs, academics, and survivors.

“Petrified Survivors is designed to encompass all victims of sexual assault, violence and rape in war, because only through a united attempt, concentrated on the victims, learning from their stories and listening to their needs, can we bring the realities of rape in war into the public realm.”

– Rebecca Hawkins

At the conference, JLDH exhibited the Petrified Survivors project (link to Petrified Survivors tab), as part of the conference’s intimate and immersive art exhibition. The display included a bronze maquette and an augmented reality (AR) version of Petrified Survivors. Through the AR experience, delegates were able to project the full-size Petrified Survivors in the room, inspect the symbols, and read about the associated conflicts and survivor groups through interactive information panels.

“Rebecca has created an astonishing piece of art which will drive conversations and raise awareness throughout the world around this incredibly important cause.”

– Pauline Latham

JLDH Drinks Reception

To mark the occasion of the PSVI Conference and engage more closely with stakeholders, JLDH held a drinks reception under the theme ‘Amplifying the voices of survivors to eliminate sexual violence in conflict’.

The evening’s events included speeches from:

Pauline Latham

MP, Vice-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development and Member of the International Development Select Committee responsible for investigating issues of sexual violence in conflict

Leesa Gazi

Writer, director, playwright, and winner of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative film competition

Rebecca Hawkins

“Sometimes I wonder, how can a woman’s body instigate so much hatred and violence? It’s the same old patriarchal society at its ugliest. If we need to shame a family, we go after their daughters. If we need to shame a community, we go after their daughters. If we need to shame a country, we go after their daughters. That’s the same mindset that’s prevalent in wars and conflicts, and we must stop it.”