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The Centre for Military & Security Law and the ANU Gender Institute are pleased to co-host a Seminar featuring Lieutenant General David Morrison AO, Chief of Army, Dr Susan Harris-Rimmer, Director of Studies at the ANU Asia- Pacific College of Diplomacy and Ms Veronica Fynn, a PhD scholar at the ANU College of Law.

Armed conflicts are currently occurring in various regions of the world and the need to protect innocent victims of these conflicts has never been greater. Women are particularly vulnerable in times of conflict and the recent Global Summit to End  Sexual Violence in Conflict, co-chaired by William Hague (United Kingdom Foreign Secretary) and Angelina Jolie (Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees) brought together 1,700 delegates and 129 country delegations to consider ways in which women could be better protected. The Summit agreed on practical steps to tackle impunity for the use of rape as a weapon of war, and to begin to change global attitudes to these crimes.

Dr Susan Harris-Rimmer will provide introductory comments on the legal framework that exists to protect women who are affected by armed conflict and will also discuss aspects of her role as an expert for the official Australian delegation to the 58th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York in March 2014.

Ms Veronica Fynn will speak about her personal experience in overcoming the challenges, difficulties and dangers she has endured since she fled the civil war in Liberia in 1992.

Lieutenant General David Morrison AO will speak about his recent experience in London at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, and comment on initiatives that he is leading to ensure that members of the Australian Army abide by their obligations to treat women appropriately in all circumstances.

The views expressed in this lecture are those of the presenters and do not necessarily represent the views of The Australian National University.

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