Central African Republic
The Central African Republic (CAR) has been engulfed in violent armed conflict since 2013, and conflict-related insecurity has left women and girls vulnerable to forced marriage, abduction, and especially sexual and gender-based violence; according to the International Development Monitoring Centre, 68% of girls in CAR are married before the age of eighteen. Women in the CAR continue to be largely excluded from peacebuilding and reconstruction efforts and have even been subjected to violence perpetrated by UN peacekeepers. Deployed in April 2014, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA)is mandated to protect women, monitor and report on violations against women, adhere to the zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, ensure women’s full participation in conflict resolution and elections, and incorporate gender as a cross-cutting issue. To further this progress, based on the work of NGOWG members and their partners, the NGOWG advocates for more thorough monitoring of UN peacekeepers in CAR to ensure that no exploitation and abuse occurs on their watch.
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic (CAR) has been engulfed in violent armed conflict since 2013, and conflict-related insecurity has left women and girls vulnerable to forced marriage, abduction, and especially sexual and gender-based violence; according to the International Development Monitoring Centre, 68% of girls in CAR are married before the age of eighteen.
Women in the CAR continue to be largely excluded from peacebuilding and reconstruction efforts and have even been subjected to violence perpetrated by UN peacekeepers. Deployed in April 2014, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) is mandated to protect women, monitor and report on violations against women, adhere to the zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, ensure women’s full participation in conflict resolution and elections, and incorporate gender as a cross-cutting issue. To further this progress, based on the work of NGOWG members and their partners, the NGOWG advocates for more thorough monitoring of UN peacekeepers in CAR to ensure that no exploitation and abuse occurs on their watch.
Current and Past Recommendations to the UN Security Council (Monthly Action Points)
Chad/Central African Republic (March 2010)
In the forthcoming discussions over mandate renewal of MINURCAT, concerns for women’s safety should be central to discussions about the possible withdrawal of the UN Mission from Chad, where there is almost total impunity for sexual violence crimes committed by Chadian and Sudanese armed opposition groups, bandits and members of the Chadian security forces. No withdrawal of the mission should be considered at this time. Withdrawal would further endanger the security and rights of women in eastern Chad. The Council should:
- Renew MINURCAT’s mandate and authorize its continued deployment as per the Council’s original plan in SCR 1861;
- Ensure the phasing out of the mission is based on meeting the benchmarks the Secretary-General outlined in his December 2008 report to the Council. In this regard, it should require MINURCAT to work with the Chadian government to set out a plan for meeting key benchmarks and phasing down its operations.
- The mandate should ensure women’s participation in all aspects of planning, implementation and programming, including location and frequency of security patrols, education and livelihood opportunities, and reproductive health services.
- Monitoring and evaluation procedures should address human rights violations, especially violence against women and girls inside and outside of refugee camps, including increased resources for services for survivors.
In the forthcoming discussions over mandate renewal of MINURCAT, concerns for women’s safety should be central to discussions about the possible withdrawal of the UN Mission from Chad, where there is almost total impunity for sexual violence crimes committed by Chadian and Sudanese armed opposition groups, bandits and members of the Chadian security forces. No withdrawal of the mission should be considered at this time. Withdrawal would further endanger the security and rights of women in eastern Chad. The Council should:
- Renew MINURCAT’s mandate and authorize its continued deployment as per the Council’s original plan in SCR 1861;
- Ensure the phasing out of the mission is based on meeting the benchmarks the Secretary-General outlined in his December 2008 report to the Council. In this regard, it should require MINURCAT to work with the Chadian government to set out a plan for meeting key benchmarks and phasing down its operations.
- The mandate should ensure women’s participation in all aspects of planning, implementation and programming, including location and frequency of security patrols, education and livelihood opportunities, and reproductive health services.
- Monitoring and evaluation procedures should address human rights violations, especially violence against women and girls inside and outside of refugee camps, including increased resources for services for survivors.
Relevant Resources
