Reporting and Interpreting Data on Sexual Violence from Conflict-affected Countries: The “do’s and don’ts”

Information on the nature and scope of sexual violence during and immediately after conflict is increasingly demanded by governments, NGOs, UN bodies (such as the Security Council), and humanitarian workers. When collected, analysed and reported correctly, data on sexual violence can serve many purposes, including drawing political attention to the issue and mobilizing resources for comprehensive gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response programmes. Data can also help shape the mandates of international peacekeepers and rule of law actors. This Note is intended to assist staff from UN Country Teams and Integrated Missions to improve data collection, analysis and reporting on sexual violence in conflict. Any data collected on sexual violence must respect established ethical and safety principles, such as security, confidentiality, anonymity, informed consent, safety and protection from retribution, and protection of the data itself.