Democratic Republic of the Congo
Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo continue to face widespread sexual violence, disease, and displacement in conflict situations arising from clashes between dozens of armed groups. Often, sexual violence and rape are used as terror tactics and weapons of war, and despite the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Women’s Platform for the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework, women are still largely underrepresented in peacebuilding efforts. Additionally, women activists face rape as a form of torture by government actors who disagree with their political activity. The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) aims to provide protection for civilians, including reducing the threat of armed groups perpetrating sexual and gender-based violence, monitoring and reporting on sexual violence and ensuring women’s participation in stabilization and national political dialogue.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to face widespread sexual violence, disease, and displacement in conflict situations arising from clashes between dozens of armed groups. Often, sexual violence and rape are used as terror tactics and weapons of war, and despite the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the Women’s Platform for the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework, women are still largely underrepresented in peacebuilding efforts.
Additionally, women activists face rape as a form of torture by government actors who disagree with their political activity. The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) aims to provide protection for civilians, including reducing the threat of armed groups perpetrating sexual and gender-based violence, monitoring and reporting on sexual violence and ensuring women’s participation in stabilization and national political dialogue.
Current and Past Recommendations to the UN Security Council (Monthly Action Points)
Democratic Republic of Congo (December 2015)
The Council is expected to consider a report on the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The Council’s presidential statement (S/PRST/2015/20) condemned widespread sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and called on MONUSCO to support efforts to address it. All reporting should include information on:
- MONUSCO’s efforts to provide protection from SGBV, including coordinated monitoring and analysis arrangements to track SGBV, availability of services for SGBV survivors and deployment of Women Protection Advisers;
- Women’s participation in the PSC Framework, via the Women’s Platform and the way in which women are engaged in broader, political processes, including preparations for elections and the strategic dialogue on MONUSCO’s progressive withdrawal, as well as all disarmament and security sector reform efforts;
- The impact of the conflict on women (including information on female victims, displaced and refugee women, and female survivors of SGBV), through engagement with gender advisers and women’s human rights organizations; and
- The extent to which gender considerations are fully integrated as a cross-cutting issue th
The Council is expected to consider a report on the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The Council’s presidential statement (S/PRST/2015/20) condemned widespread sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and called on MONUSCO to support efforts to address it. All reporting should include information on:
- MONUSCO’s efforts to provide protection from SGBV, including coordinated monitoring and analysis arrangements to track SGBV, availability of services for SGBV survivors and deployment of Women Protection Advisers;
- Women’s participation in the PSC Framework, via the Women’s Platform and the way in which women are engaged in broader, political processes, including preparations for elections and the strategic dialogue on MONUSCO’s progressive withdrawal, as well as all disarmament and security sector reform efforts;
- The impact of the conflict on women (including information on female victims, displaced and refugee women, and female survivors of SGBV), through engagement with gender advisers and women’s human rights organizations; and
- The extent to which gender considerations are fully integrated as a cross-cutting issue th
Relevant Resources
