Actress Angelina Jolie on Friday appealed to African leaders
attending a summit in Johannesburg to confront the “near total impunity” that
hampers efforts to tackle violence against women across the continent.
Speaking at a forum ahead of the Africa
Union summit starting Sunday, Jolie said that sexual attack such as rape was
the “weapon of choice” in many conflict zones as perpetrators seldom face
justice.
“Violence against women is still treated
as a lesser crime,” said Jolie, who is the UN special envoy for refugees.
“Armed groups turn it into a weapon of
choice because of near total impunity.
“It is clear that this is not an African
problem but a global one, but few places have suffered as Africa.”
Dozens of heads of state from across the
continent will attend two days of meetings in South Africa’s economic capital
on the theme of the “Year of Women Empowerment and Development”.
“Please think what it would mean if the
54 nations of the AU press together as one towards full rights and
opportunities for women,” said Jolie, an experienced campaigner on violence
against women in conflict zones.
Among Africa’s conflict hotspots are the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Burundi and South Sudan.