William Hague lauds Bangladesh

British Foreign Secretary William Hague has lauded Bangladesh for endorsing the global declaration that calls countries to commit to end sexual violence in conflict. Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali earlier in a letter to the Foreign Secretary conveyed Bangladesh’s decision of ‘full support’ to the declaration. The British Foreign Secretary and UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict jointly launched the ‘Global Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict’ in September last year at the 68th UN General Assembly in New York. The Declaration contains a set of ‘practical and political commitments’ to end the use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war, which terrorises and destroys communities during conflict. The British High Commission in Dhaka said Nigeria, Bangladesh and Pakistan have announced their endorsement of the Declaration of Commitment this week. This brought to 148 the total number of countries supporting the effort, over three quarters of all UN Member States. It sends a powerful message about the growing international resolve to end sexual violence in conflict and bring perpetrators to justice, it said, according to bdnews24.com.