Download the glossary as a PDF (version of 16 September 2020)

To date, there is no universal, binding treaty that focuses explicitly on the prohibition and prevention of, and accountability for, sexual and gender-based violence. What is available, however, are provisions in numerous existing international, regional and national instruments that cover various aspects of the prevention of and accountability for such violence, dealing with a range of issues, from justice processes to the rights of victims. A wealth of knowledge on this topic has also accumulated over the years through academic writing and other forms of publications.

This annex aims to list key instruments, frameworks and other sources important for stakeholders working on issues relating to sexual and gender-based violence. It is important to note that this list is not exhaustive.

International binding instruments

• Convention (I) for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field (1949)[Grave breaches under Article 50 have been interpreted to include rape and other forms of sexual violence]
• Convention (II) for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea (1949) [Grave breaches under Article 51 have been interpreted to include rape and other forms of sexual violence]
• Convention (III) relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War (1949) [Grave breaches under Article 129 have been interpreted to include rape and other forms of sexual violence]
• Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949) [Article 27(2) expressly prohibits ‘any attack on [women’s] honour, in particular […] rape, enforced prostitution, or any form of indecent assault’].
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) [The Human Rights Committee recognised that rape and other forms of sexual violence violate Articles 2(1), 7, 17, 23 (1), 24 (1) and 26 of the Convenant, and that an improper definition of rape and accompanying statutes of limitations under domestic laws violate Articles 2(3) of the Convenant, in conjunction with Articles 3, 7, 9, 24 and 26]
• Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I) (1977) [Articles 75(2) offers general protection, including against sexual and gender-based violence, and Article 76(1) explicitly protect women against ‘rape, forced prostitution and any other form of indecent assault’]
• Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II) (1977) [Article 4(2)(e) offers general protection, including against sexual and gender-based violence]
• Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984) [The Committee against Torture found in various instances that rape and other acts of sexual violence constitute torture under the Convention]
• Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) [Articles 19 and 34 explicitly protect children from SGBV, particularly sexual exploitation and abuse]
• Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (1998)[Prosecution of SGBC as genocide (Article 6), crimes against humanity (Article 7) and war crimes (Article 8), including rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilisation, other forms of sexual violence and trafficking of women and children]
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979) and its Optional Protocol (1999)
• Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (2000) [Prosecution of SGBC, including sexual exploitation, under Article 3(a)]

Regional instruments

Europe

• European Convention on Human Rights (1950) [The European Court of Human Rights has recognised that rape is a form of torture prohibited under Article 3]
• Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (2005)
• Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (2007)
• Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) (2011)

The Americas

• American Convention on Human Rights (1969)[The Inter-American Court of Human Rights interpreted Article 5 as providing protection from sexual abuses]
• Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women (Convention of Belém do Pará) (1994)

Africa

• African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981) [A range of Articles in the African Charter touch upon, and have been interpreted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights as relevant to the fight against impunity for sexual and gender-based violence, including Articles 5 (torture and other ill-treatment), Article 18 (3) (elimination of discrimination against women)]
• Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) (2003)
• African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Guidelines on Combating Sexual Violence and its Consequences in Africa (2017)

Asia-Pacific

• Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women in the ASEAN Region (2013)
• Revised Pacific Platform for Action on Advancement of Women and Gender Equality (2005-2015)[Regional Charter to address emerging challenges, including sexual violence, through the collection of data, adoption of policies and programs]

UN Resolutions, Declarations and Recommendations

United National General Assembly (UNGA) Declarations

• Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (1967)[Article 8 explicitly includes the combating of all forms of traffic in women and exploitation of prostitution]
• Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (1993) [Prohibiting all forms of violence including sexual violence]

United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions

• UNSC Resolution 1325 (2000)[Addresses the impact of armed conflicts on women and girls and declares the need for specific protection against sexual and gender-based violence]
• UNSC Resolution 1820 (2008) [Calls for special measures to protect women and girls from SGBV in armed conflicts and declares that rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide]
• UNSC Resolution 1888 (2009)[Calls on all parties to an armed conflict to take measures to protect civilians from SGBV and to deploy of Women Protection Advisors to facilitate the implementation of UNSC Resolutions on women, peace and security]
• UNSC Resolution 1889 (2009) [Women, Peace and Security: Declares it the states’ responsibility to put an end to impunity and to prosecute those responsible for all forms of sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict]
• UNSC Resolution 1960 (2010) [Encourages parties to armed conflict to make and implement specific commitments to combat sexual violence, and member states to provide police and military personnel with adequate training on sexual and gender-based violence]
• UNSC Resolution 2106 (2013) [Calls for the further deployment of Women Protection Advisors and urges sanction committees to apply targeted sanctions on those who perpetrate and direct sexual and gender-based violence in conflict]
• UNSC Resolution 2467 (2019) [Calls for a strengthened justice system and accountability for sexual and gender-based violence and addresses the need to adopt a survivor-centred approach when it comes to preventing and responding to these crimes]

CEDAW Recommendations

• UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, General Recommendation No. 19: Violence against women (1992)
• UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, General Recommendation No. 35: Gender-based violence against women, updating general recommendation No. 19 (2017)

UN Reports

• Report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, Dubravka Šimonović : Rape as a grave, systematic and widespread human rights violation, a crime and a manifestation of gender-based violence against women and girls, and its prevention (2021)
• Report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, Reem Alsalem : Violence against indigenous women and girls (2022)
• UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict, Annual Progress Report 2023 (2023)
• Report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, Reem Alsalem : Prostitution and violence against women and girls (2024)
• Report of the Commission of Inquiry: Israel’s systematic use of sexual and reproductive violence and other forms of gender-based violence since 7 October 2023 (2025)
• Report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, Reem Alsalem : Sex-based violence against women and girls: new frontiers and emerging issues (2025)

Other Declaratory Instruments and Tools

• Beijing Platform for Action (1995)[States commit to provide gender-sensitive human rights education and training for law enforcement bodies and to create and/or strengthen institutional mechanisms to report acts of sexual and gender-based violence]
• Cairo-Arusha Principles on Universal Jurisdiction in Respect of Gross Human Rights Offences (2002)[Recognizes that wartime gender crimes, such as rape, constitute human rights offences, and seeks accountability for gender-based violence, in both wartime and peacetime]
• ICRC’s Study on Customary International Humanitarian Law (2005) [Rules 93, 94, 134 and 156 explicitly prohibit sexual and gender-based violence]
• UNGA, Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law (2005) [Provides detailed information on remedy and reparation, applicable to sexual and gender-based violence]
• UN Commission on Human Rights, Updated Set of principles for the protection and promotion of human rights through action to combat impunity (Report of the independent expert to update the Set of principles to combat impunity, Diane Orentlicher) (2005)
• UNDOC, Handbook on Effective Prosecution Responses to Violence Against Women and Girls (2010) [Assists prosecutors in their duty to uphold the rule of law in cases involving violence against women and girls including sexual and gender-based violence]
• G7, Declaration on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict (2013)
• IICI, Guidelines for Investigating Conflict-Related Sexual and Gender-Based Violence against Men and Boys (2016)
• Case Matrix Network, ‘Legal requirements, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Crimes’ (2017)
• Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict (Second Ed. 2017)
• The Hague Principles on Sexual Violence (2019)

International Criminal Court