UN adds Israel and Russia to conflict‑related sexual‑violence blacklist

The United Nations released its 2024 annual report on conflict‑related sexual violence in June, naming 20 states and non‑state actors for enabling or failing to prevent such crimes. Israel and Russia were placed on the list, prompting sharp diplomatic backlash.

UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten said the list is intended to “name and shame” parties that contribute to sexual violence. Israel’s Foreign Ministry summoned the UN ambassador in Tel Aviv and called the allegations “baseless,” while Russian officials dismissed the report as “politically motivated.”

The report documents over 1,200 alleged cases of sexual violence in Gaza since October 2023 and more than 200 cases in Ukraine, drawing on survivor testimony, medical records and forensic evidence. The blacklist is a “naming and shaming” tool under Security Council Resolution 1820, not a legal sanction, and the UN will present the findings to the Human Rights Council in September 2024.