Pramila Patten, 65, a Mauritian lawyer and advocate against sexual violence toward women, has shown empathy for Israel's suffering after Hamas' massacre. She penned a seminal United Nations report, offering detailed evidence of sexual violence during Hamas terrorists' surprise attack on October 7, following her visit to the devastated Israeli communities.
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Appointed as the UN's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict in 2017, Patten serves as a spokesperson and political advisor on sexual violence in conflicts. She also chairs a network that includes 24 UN agencies collaborating to combat sexual violence.
In addition to her role, Patten contributes as a member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and other advisory groups focused on women's rights. She has been involved in research projects monitoring women's rights and actively contributes to the development of frameworks to prevent violence against women.
During a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, where she shared the key findings of her report, Patten faced a barrage of criticism from global media skeptical about the Israeli-Arab conflict. These critiques, including Arab media, challenged her for embracing the Israeli account of Hamas terrorists committing sexual assaults on October 7. Many found it difficult to accept that a senior UN official would depict Israel as a victim, not an aggressor.
Their attempts to find flaws in Patten's report focused on the fact that she did not personally meet any survivors of sexual violence. Remaining composed, Patten responded to the accusations matter-of-factly, stating, "I did not meet survivors because almost all of them were killed, and the remaining survivors are traumatized and unable to testify," brushing off the criticism.
Undeterred by the attacks, Patten emphasized the reliability and credibility of her findings, standing firm against the onslaught. However, she faces challenges not only from journalists accustomed to the UN's critical stance toward Israel but also from her peers in the UN Secretariat as they prepare to handle the next stages of the report.
Israeli officials are cautious about openly embracing and praising Patten for her report, but behind closed doors, there is great admiration for her professionalism, advocacy and attentiveness to the Israeli perspective.
The report, from Israel's perspective, presents primarily circumstantial evidence of the use of sexual violence on October 7, including rape, gang rape, body mutilation, genital mutilation, nudity and the binding of bodies. The UN official acknowledges the Israeli position that Hamas deliberately and systematically engaged in sexual violence.
However, there is disappointment that Patten did not hold Hamas accountable for its actions, instead evading the issue by stating the need for further investigation into the identities of those involved.
Patten presents her findings
(Video: UN)
Israeli officials, who had the opportunity to meet with Patten in recent months, were surprised by her sensitivity and her ability to identify with the suffering of Israel. During her visit last month, Patten said, "The world outside cannot understand the magnitude of the event. I myself also internalized the magnitude of the event just by being here myself."
Unlike many of her peers at the UN, Patten has never shared openly anti-Israel views before October 7. However, she is also not particularly active on social media.
In late October and early November 2023, Patten issued two statements addressing the Israel-Gaza situation in which she acknowledged the existence of reports regarding instances of sexual violence and stressed the importance of conducting a thorough investigation to provide support and justice for the victims.
Furthermore, Patten personally attended an event alongside Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan which focused on addressing sexual violence in the Hamas terrorist attack. Her presence at this event sent a powerful message - finally, there is someone within the UN who is willing to listen to Israel and take these concerns seriously, rather than brushing them off and focusing almost exclusively on the situation in Gaza.
In Patten's perspective, her office has successfully crafted a robust normative framework within the Security Council, equipping them with innovative tools to implement the mandate. Since 2014, one of their primary objectives has been to enhance monitoring efforts on the use of sexual violence by extremist groups and the insidious terror tactic.
The mandate for the establishment of Patten's office is rooted in a 2009 Security Council decision that laid the groundwork for a comprehensive framework to address sexual violence in conflicts, recognizing it as a preventable crime that should be prosecuted under international criminal law.
Erdan's unusual appeal to UN chief Guterres
Ambassador Erdan sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, requesting an urgent Security Council session to discuss the findings of Patten's report.
Israel is seeking Guterres' invocation of Article 99, which empowers him to bring attention to matters that pose a threat to regional peace and security. Guterres previously used this article in December to convene an urgent discussion on the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.
However, Israel anticipates that Guterres may not exercise this article in the case of sexual violence. Therefore, they are attempting to circumvent it and directly appeal to Security Council member states to call for the meeting.
In an X post, Ambassador Erdan wrote, "It took the United Nations five months to finally recognize the sexual crimes committed on October 7th during Hamas’ massacre. Today, with the release of the report on the sexual abuse that Israeli female hostages are enduring, the shame of the UN is on clear display. The UN has not held even one discussion on the topic. Not even one meeting!
"The meaning of a ceasefire is to lengthen the suffering of the hostages. Any call for a ceasefire is blatant support for Hamas to continue their sexual violence! I call on the Secretary-General and the Security Council to immediately condemn Hamas for their crimes, and apply unrelenting pressure on the terrorists to ensure that their sexual abuse ends and that the hostages are released!"