Mass rapes of women during wartime were described as “atrocities which dehumanize” by a minister in the United Kingdom Government on Tuesday, as representatives from around the world gathered at UN Headquarters to mark the annual International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Lord Ahmad is the UK’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, and a Foreign Office Minister.

He was one of those taking part in a high-level panel discussion on “The Plight and Rights of Children Born of War”, organized by the UK and Argentina, focusing on recent events in Iraq, Syria and Myanmar.

Daniel Dickinson asked Lord Ahmad why the issue was so important.