“The men sent my parents away at the point of their AK-47, then they raped me.”

AFRICOM's Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium is underway at the International Institute of Humanitarian Law

Cynthia Petrigh, from Beyond Peace, discusses gender based violence at U.S. AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Commandant Ngarhordje Dedjiri and her colleague from Chad hear opening comments at the U.S. AFRICOM's Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Group photo of participants of the U.S. AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Former African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Commander, Maj. Gen. Fred Mugisha draws an African spear as an analogy to describe the challenge of executing peace operations where multiple systems of law are in use, and soldiers require the support of their command in confronting extraordinary logistical challenges." Mugisha delivered the keynote address at the U.S. AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Legal Counsel to the Commander, U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Marine Col. Donald Riley delivers comments at AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Deputy Chief of Legal Services for the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces, Col. Godard Busingye, (left), and President of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL), Prof. Fausto Pocar at the U.S. AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

AFRICOM hosts AU media delegation visit, Feb. 9-12, 2015.

AU journalists engage with AFRICOM during a media delegation visit, Feb. 9, 2015, at Kelley Barracks, U.S. Army Garrison, Stuttgart, Germany. Eight journalists, who are accredited with the African Union, are here as participants of a U.S. AFRICOM-sponsored media delegation visit to learn about the command's mission and programs. (Photo by Brenda Law/U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/Released)

AU journalists, Jenine Coetzer (left), responds to a comment as Charles Obbo looks on during a media delegation visit, Feb. 9, 2015, at Kelley Barracks, U.S. Army Garrison, Stuttgart, Germany. Eight journalists, who are accredited with the African Union, are here as participants of a U.S. AFRICOM-sponsored media delegation visit to learn about the command's mission and programs. (Photo by Brenda Law/U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/Released)

COL Mark Cheadle, AFRICOM’s Chief of Public Affairs and Communication Synchronization, engages African journalists during a media delegation visit, Feb. 9, 2015, at Kelley Barracks, U.S. Army Garrison, Stuttgart, Germany. Eight journalists, who are accredited with the African Union, are here as participants of a U.S. AFRICOM-sponsored media delegation visit to learn about the command's mission and programs. (Photo by Brenda Law/U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs/Released)

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Wayne Grigsby, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commanding general, met with Uganda People’s Defense Force Brig. Gen. Jack Bakasumba, Peace Support Operations Training Centre commandant, Aug. 20, 2014, in Singo, Uganda.

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Wayne Grigsby, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commanding general, visits with training instructors from the U.S., British, French and Dutch militaries, and the Africa Contingency Operations Training & Assistance program Aug. 20, 2014, at Camp Singo, Uganda. While in Singo, Grigsby toured the training facilities, watched a live-fire exercise, met with the camp commandant and training staff. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Riley Johnson)

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Wayne Grigsby Jr., Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commanding general, right, and U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bonnie Skinner, CJTF-HOA senior enlisted leader, watch Uganda People's Defense Force members conduct live-fire training Aug. 20, 2014, at Camp Singo, Uganda. Grigsby, Skinner and other leaders from CJTF-HOA also toured the training facilities and met with the commandant and training staff. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Riley Johnson)

Uganda People’s Defense Force soldiers sit behind cover during a live-fire training Aug. 20, 2014, at Camp Singo, Uganda. U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Wayne Grigsby Jr., Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commanding general, and other leaders from CJTF-HOA watched the live-fire training, toured the training facilities and met with the commandant and training staff. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Riley Johnson)

A Uganda People’s Defense Force soldier fires a rocket-propelled grenade during a live-fire training Aug. 20, 2014, at Camp Singo, Uganda. U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Wayne Grigsby Jr., Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commanding general, and other leaders from CJTF-HOA watched the live-fire training, toured the training facilities and met with the commandant and training staff. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Riley Johnson)

A recent U.S. Army Africa organized training event helped prepare a Uganda Peoples' Defense Force military police company for an upcoming deployment to Somalia.

Uganda People's Defense Force soldiers recently completed a 10-week joint engagement with U.S. Marines and Sailors assigned to Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa for a deployment to Somalia later this year.Uganda provides troops to

Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter visited Uganda,meeting with senior government and military leaders to affirm the growing security partnership between the United States and the East African nation, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in