UN Adds Israeli and Russian Forces to ‘Shame List’ Over Conflict-Related Sexual Violence
The unprecedented inclusion of Israeli and Russian armed and security forces in the so-called “Shame List”—the United Nations’ annual report documenting conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) worldwide—marks an important inflection point for global accountability.
As documented in the UN Secretary-General’s report, a sharp global surge in CRSV cases highlights how sexual violence continues to be systematically deployed as a weapon of war, torture, and political repression. The UN verified extensive, patterned abuses perpetrated by Russian and Israeli state actors against detainees—specifically detailing acts of rape and severe physical abuse committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian detainees in the West Bank and Gaza, as well as violations by Russian forces against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians. The report also expressed concern regarding the levels of CRSV in Syria, Libya, Sudan, and South Sudan.
The report listed Hamas on the list of non-state actors in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory as well, noting that Hamas has not recognized incidents of sexual violence committed during the attacks on October 7, 2023, and has not taken measures to hold alleged perpetrators accountable. It also highlighted a systematic lack of accountability for violations against Palestinians as documented by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, as well as United Nations entities, which reinforces a climate of impunity.
While both Russia and Israel have rejected their inclusion, this formal “naming and shaming” mechanism provides the international community with a critical framework to challenge state impunity and demand strict adherence to international humanitarian law from recognized state militaries.
As the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security (GIWPS) continuously monitors global conflicts, it is clear that the weaponization of sexual violence not only leaves deep, multi-generational scars on individuals and communities but also fundamentally undermines the path to sustainable peace.
These listings underscore the necessity of survivor-centric justice and gender-responsive accountability mechanisms within the international security architecture. This milestone is also a direct victory for civil society organizations whose relentless documentation and advocacy, driven by resilient survivor networks like SEMA Ukraine and Numo Sestry, in collaboration with multilateral agencies and international organizations, including GIWPS, have forced the international community to confront the weaponization of sexual violence and shift the global paradigm from passive monitoring to institutional condemnation.
While placement on this UN blacklist carries profound reputational stakes and offers opportunities for civil society to pressure for independent oversight, it also triggers tangible, operational penalties within the UN framework. Critically, the UN Security Council can formally ban blacklisted countries and state forces from participating in or deploying troops to official UN peacekeeping missions, transforming documentation into an active tool of geopolitical exclusion. To truly break the cycle of impunity, global leadership must pair these documentation efforts with further robust enforcement tools, including targeted asset freezes, standardized sanctions, and a commitment to integrating women’s protection advisers across all peace and security operations.
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