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 the Congo (January 2015)
In its consideration of the report on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), the Council should ensure it receives the “enhanced reporting,” requested as per SCR 2147 (2014), OP 27. Furthermore, members should:
- Inquire into concrete information on targeted attacks of any nature on women, including women human rights defenders and sex-disaggregated data, and efforts to consult with women’s human rights organizations and displaced women in all stabilization and peace consolidation efforts.
- Reinforce that MONUSCO, in its Security Sector Reform (SSR) efforts, must ensure that FARDC soldiers and Congolese National Police (PNC) work to prevent sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and are held accountable for any crimes they, themselves commit.
- Request that all units of MONUSCO respect the WHO Safe and Ethical Guidelines for Investigating Sexual Violence and refrain from pressuring NGOs to turn over confidential survivor information.
- Ensure that WPAs only investigate cases of conflict-related sexual violence with the consent of survivors and only after they have had access to lifesaving health care services.
In its consideration of the report on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), the Council should ensure it receives the “enhanced reporting,” requested as per SCR 2147 (2014), OP 27. Furthermore, members should:
- Inquire into concrete information on targeted attacks of any nature on women, including women human rights defenders and sex-disaggregated data, and efforts to consult with women’s human rights organizations and displaced women in all stabilization and peace consolidation efforts.
- Reinforce that MONUSCO, in its Security Sector Reform (SSR) efforts, must ensure that FARDC soldiers and Congolese National Police (PNC) work to prevent sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and are held accountable for any crimes they, themselves commit.
- Request that all units of MONUSCO respect the WHO Safe and Ethical Guidelines for Investigating Sexual Violence and refrain from pressuring NGOs to turn over confidential survivor information.
- Ensure that WPAs only investigate cases of conflict-related sexual violence with the consent of survivors and only after they have had access to lifesaving health care services.
Relevant Resources
