WHO ARE WE?
We are NOT Weapons of War (WWoW) is a French non-governmental organisation, registered under the French Law of 1901. A small organisation, WWoW operates as an expert agency. Based in Paris, WWoW is dedicated to the fight against sexual violence linked to armed conflict and to issues of security, the rule of law, post-conflict situations and good governance.
Founded in 2014 by international lawyer and criminal investigator Céline Bardet, WWoW offers a comprehensive, holistic and effective response to the endemic use of sexual violence in fragile environments through innovative legal approaches and the creative use of new technologies.
WWoW's main objective is to ensure that international development programmes in post-conflict countries empower local actors in a sustainable way and respond to their concrete needs.
OUR VISION
When WWoW was founded, its ambition was to make the elimination of sexual violence a global public issue. The advocacy and awareness-raising work carried out by the NGO over the past seven years has made a significant contribution to achieving this objective.
From the Nobel Peace Prize awarded jointly in 2018 to Nadia Murad and Dr Denis Mukwege, to the International Forum on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, co-organised in 2019 by the Mukwege Foundation and WWoW, under the patronage of the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, to the media worldwide and the numerous thematic conferences, as well as the increasing number of legal proceedings involving acts of conflict-related sexual violence.
The fight against conflict-related sexual violence is now on every (inter)national political agenda. Although this is a great victory, the work must continue and aim for a greater understanding of the issues surrounding these crimes in order to provide appropriate solutions for survivors, fight impunity and curb this phenomenon.
To achieve this, WWoW is now focusing on five fundamental pillars:
Using innovation and technology to serve justice and victims
Since 2017, WWoW has dedicated a large part of its activities to developing the BackUp digital tool. This web-application is intended on the one hand for victims of conflict-related sexual violence wishing to report and be identified to receive emergency care. On the other hand, it is intended for any third party (journalist, legal professional, rights defender, etc.) wishing to transmit and save information in complete security. All the data collected by BackUp is stored on an ultra-secure database.
BackUp gives a voice to survivors. A report is a victim who exists. They come out of the shadows and the silence.
Unlike many existing tools, BackUp has a very powerful ("criminal") analysis tool, which makes it possible to obtain, sort and analyse sourced, viable and corroborated data on the extent of sexual violence in the world. BackUp generates real-time data for use in both public reports and legal proceedings. It is a predictive and preventive tool.
Developed in partnership with a private company of Luxembourg developers, BackUp has been designed to be agile and flexible. It adapts to all contexts, all issues and all needs.
Pursuing advocacy and awareness-raising through scientific research
We need to understand the nature of conflict-related sexual violence, not just the facts. Raising awareness through research means providing information about the thought process involved in conflict-related sexual violence. It is an organised, planned process that can be a constituent element of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Building the capacity of local players so that they become autonomous and drivers of change
A plethora of training courses are organised for professionals at local level. However, these courses are often poorly adapted to the real needs of the participants. Too theoretical and dense, and far removed from the realities of the field, they do not enable professionals to apply this knowledge in practice.
WWoW is convinced that building the capacity of local players requires simple tools, good practice and, above all, mentoring that is specifically adapted to the context and beneficiaries. Mentoring professionals in the field means first of all listening to them and assessing their needs and the context in which they operate: adapting to them, not to an unsuitable and ineffective turnkey solution. Then, to develop, in a participatory way, a long-term support programme that enables these professionals to become autonomous and agents of change in their country.
Fighting impunity, the main cause of the spread of rape
A trial involving acts of sexual violence linked to conflict requires special expertise and a specific investigative process. It is necessary to train and, above all, support local police officers in their practices, magistrates and prosecutors, as well as the victims (and their families) in their efforts.
WWoW therefore wishes to focus its priorities on :
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Sharing judicial expertise and supporting trials.
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Supporting local institutions in adopting the necessary and appropriate legal frameworks and practices.
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Representing and supporting victims and their families in this process.
Empowering victims
The trauma associated with sexual violence is profound and unique, with multiple consequences that need to be understood if they are to be overcome. As a result of family exclusion and social stigmatisation, victims find themselves without resources. It is vital to stop reducing these people to the status of victims, and instead to highlight their fighting spirit, energy and abilities.
Over the past nine years, WWoW has been developing partnerships with local and international organisations specialising in holistic care for survivors. WWoW acts as a mirror structure / referral mechanism between survivors and the specialised organisations providing their care.
OUR GOALS
Empower victims by giving them the means to come forward and be identified.
Coordinating and empowering those involved in conflict-related sexual violence.
Fighting impunity by making innovative tools available and reflecting on the failures of the justice system.
Support the economic and social reintegration of survivors.
APPROACH
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Innovation
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Agility
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Expertise
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Based on human rights
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Scientific
PRINCIPLES
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Privacy
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Respect for the dignity of victims
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Gender neutrality and non-discrimination
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Do no Harm Principle
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Transparency