The struggle against sexual violence
- Wits University
Nobel Peace Centre's Professor Liv Tørres will discuss sexual violence perpetuated during war and steps required for the future.
Tørres, an Adjunct Professor at the Wits School of Governance and Executive Director of the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo will present the Wednesday Conversation.
Sexual violence has been used in war throughout history and on all continents. Yet, it is only 10 years ago that the UN recognised sexual violence as a weapon of war.
She will delve into this topic and reflect on this year's Peace Prize recipients - Denis Mukwege from DRC and the Yazidi woman Nadia Murad from northern Iraq for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.
About Tørres
Dr Liv Tørres was appointed Visiting Adjunct Professor at WSG in 2016 bringing years of expertise in the development and humanitarian sectors.
Tørres has a special relationship with South Africa and Wits University. She holds a PhD in political science from the University of Oslo, where she wrote her thesis on the political impact of South African trade unions.
She has lived in South Africa for long periods and was connected to the University of Cape Town and Wits University in the 1980s and 1990s. In the late 1990s she set up and ran the research Center for Applied Social Studies, Fafo, in Johannesburg. She has been closely following the developments in the country ever since.
Her professoriate comprises two teaching weeks per year face to face, publishing research papers and supervising students.
She has worked many years on issues such as international labour markets, trade unionism, development policy and democratization. Read about her first experience at a Cosatu congress.
“Her combination of academic merits and experience from the humanitarian, security and political sector will make her an extraordinary resource for our students”, said Professor David Everatt, Head of WSG, about her appointment.
Read opinion pieces by Tørres
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