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)
Security Council Field Mission to Burundi, Central African Republic and the African Union (March 2015)
In view of the Security Council’s field mission to Burundi and the Central African Republic as well as consultations with the African Union this month, we urge Council members to make the implementation of the Council’s women, peace and security mandate a focus of their visit, in line with SCR 2122 (2013). As per the same resolution, Council members are reminded of their commitment to hold interactive meetings with local women and women’s organizations during the trip. In all contexts when meeting with Mission leadership, Council members should emphasize the importance of senior level support and promotion of WPS issues. In Burundi as per presidential statement 2015/6 the Council should call for women’s full participation both as candidates and voters in the upcoming election and other transitional processes. In CAR, the Council should meet with women organizations providing humanitarian assistance and services to survivors of sexual violence as well as request briefings by MINSUCA’s gender advisors and women protection advisors (WPAs). Consultations with AU officials should emphasize the importance of integrating gender perspectives into peace and security by including gender expertise and increasing female leadership in peacekeeping efforts as per SCR 2167 (2014).
Relevant Resources
