Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and US actress Angelina Jolie have called in a joint contribution against sexual violence in armed conflicts. On Tuesday, Maas will lead a debate on this topic at the United Nations Security Council in New York.

While there have been efforts in recent decades to hold war criminals accountable, Maas and Jolie write in the letter that was published in The Washington Post. Equally, however, one could observe that international laws would be hampered by rising intolerance and weakened human rights efforts.

Sexualized violence is a worldwide weapon of war and terror. As we have to help those affected, I wrote with Angelina Jolie (@end_svc) in the @ Washington Post. will bring draft resolution to the @ UN Security Council: https://t.co/QTkT60nrd1

- Heiko Maas (@HeikoMaas) April 22, 2019

In particular, women's rights are at risk - in some parts of the world this would be met with open hostility. "Nowhere is this decline [in women's rights] seen as clearly as in war zones and post-conflict situations," the letter said. Rape and other forms of sexual violence would be used in conflicts worldwide as a war and terrorist tactic. There are already some cases in which the deeds would be prosecuted. "But impunity is still the norm," write Maas and Jolie.

Kay Nietfeld / DPA

Heiko Maas (archive photo)

The impunity has devastating consequences: The Congolese doctor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege treated about three generations of raped women in his clinic in the Congo: mother, daughter and grandchildren in their infancy. "We met with both survivors in countries like Iraq, Bosnia and Sierra Leone, who pleaded with us to do something about preventing sexual abuse in their countries from being punished as a crime," the article said. "As a result, sexual violence is widespread."

Maas wants to present resolution

Jolie and Maas want to improve the ability to investigate these crimes and strengthen compliance with international standards, such as UN resolutions. In addition, victims would have to be better supported.

One approach must be to include survivors who often get out of focus: boys or men and children born of rape. They write: "All victims deserve full access to justice, compensation and financial support to live a dignified life and to be able to play a role in changing society."

For the first time in almost seven years since 1 April, Germany has chaired the most powerful UN body for a month. Maas wants to use that on Tuesday to present a resolution on sexual violence in armed conflict that addresses the issues mentioned in the letter.

43-year-old Jolie has been fighting sexual violence in crisis areas for many years, working with former British Foreign Secretary William Hague. She has worked for the United Nations refugee organization UNHCR for many years and was appointed Special Envoy in 2012.