Resolutions

 

Eliminating rape and other forms of sexual violence in all their manifestations, including as instruments to achieve political objectives

Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, November 12, 2007. The resolution was sponsored by 83 States of which the RDC.

 

Here are some excerpts of the A/C.3/62/L.16/Rev.2 resolution:

 

"Recognizing that violence against women is an offence against the dignity and integrity of the victim, which often inflicts serious physical and psychological harm, and that all forms of violence against women seriously violate and impair or nullify the enjoyment by women of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and constitute a major impediment to the ability of women to make use of their capabilities,

Recognizing further that violence against women impedes the social and economic development of communities and States, as well as the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals,

 

Recognizing that rape or any other form of sexual violence is unlawful in all circumstances and in all places, regardless of the sex or age of the victim, including in detention and in jails, whether or not in the course of an international or non-international armed conflict, or in areas under foreign occupation,

 

Affirming the need for States to ensure that perpetrators of rape or other forms of sexual violence committed on their territory do not operate with impunity and that the perpetrators of such acts are brought to justice as provided for by national law and obligations under international law, and also affirming the need to penalize persons in authority found guilty of sexually assaulting victims,

  1. Urges States to: · Take special measures to protect women and girls (..);

· End impunity (..) ;

· Provide victims with access to appropriate health care (..);

· Develop and implement at all levels, (.), a comprehensive and integrated strategy of prevention and prosecution of rape (.);

· Promote human rights education (.);

· Increase significantly their voluntary financial support extensively for activities related to preventing and eliminating all forms of violence against the women, the empowerment of women and gender equality (.);

2. Calls upon the United Nations system to:

· Support efforts to address rape;

· Integrate to the maximum extend possible the needs of all victims of sexual violence into United Nations humanitarian assistance programmes;

· Assign, within existing resources, adequate resources within the United Nations to those bodies;

3. Urges States, in cooperation with the private sector, non-governmental organizations and the other civil society actors, as appropriate to:

· Conduct public education and awareness campaigns at the national and grass-roots levels (…);

· To create centers of welcome and lodging, as well as to provide to the victims and their family a protection, (...) a medical aid, (.) a judicial aid (...);

· Establish reception centres and shelters for victims, take other appropriate measures to promote and protect women’s rights, and provide protection, safe shelter, medical assistance, including sexual and reproductive health care, all necessary medications, including antiretroviral drugs and antibiotics, counselling for victims and their families, comprehensive information and education, legal aid, rehabilitation, and reintegration of victims and their offspring into society, (…);

· Address the long-term consequences faced by victims of rape and other forms of sexual violence, including legal discrimination and social stigmatization, as well as the effects on children born as a consequence;

 4. Invite non-governmental organizations and other civil society actors:

· Advocate at the local, national, regional and international levels against rape and other forms of sexual violence;

· Increase coordination and cooperation in addressing this problem and continue to present their observations and conclusions to Governments."

The text of the resolution is available to the following address: 
http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/N07/595/06/PDF/N0759506.pdf?OpenElement

 AFRICAN UNION (AU)

Resolution on the Situation of Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo

 

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, meeting in its 40^th Ordinary Session held in Banjul, The Gambia, from 15 - 29 November 2006,

 

Considering the armed conflicts which have been affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo since 1996 and which have ushered in a climate of insecurity and violence, particularly for women;

 

Noting the recent promulgation of two laws relating to sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo;

 

Concerned by the fact that the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has not yet ratified the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa;

 

Concerned by the widespread and systematic nature of sexual violence and other forms of violence against women in the Democratic of Congo;

 

Concerned by the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of sexual violence committed against women;

 

Concerned by the incapacity of the Police Authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo to guarantee the right to life, to physical integrity and the security of women by preventing crimes and arresting the perpetrators;

 

Conscious of the difficulties of obtaining evidence inherent in the indictment and legal proceedings for crimes of sexual violence before national and international criminal courts;

 

Concerned by the complaints alleging collective rape by organised gangs against young girls in Kinshasa which have been brought to the attention of the Commission;

 

Concerned alsoby the allegations of collective rape committed by the Agents of the National Armed Forces which have been brought to the attention of the Commission;

 

Noting that an urgent appeal pertaining to the security of the young girls in Kinshasa had been issued in July 2006 by the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa to the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo and that the same had not been responded to;

 

Noting also the letters of allegation and the urgent appeals sent by the United Nations Special Rapporteurs concerning the cases of sexual abuse in the Democratic Republic of Congo;

 

Concerned by the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus among the women victims of sexual violence;

 

URGES the Government of the Democratic of Congo to take the necessary measures to guarantee the security of young girls and women in the entire country;

 

CALLS ON the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to ratify the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights relative to the Rights of Women in Africa and to take measures for the harmonisation of its national laws with the Protocol;

 

ENCOURAGES the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to facilitate the effective implementation of the new law on sexual violence;

 

URGES  the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to grant the necessary resources to the Police Force to enable it prevent and control the acts of sexual violence;

 

URGES the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to ensure that medical and psychological assistance is provided to the women victims of sexual violence;

 

CALLS ON the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to initiate action towards the sensitisation and the education of the population on the causes and consequences of the HIV/AIDS virus, particularly by supporting the initiatives of civil society in this area;

 

RECOMMENDS that the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa undertakes a mission to promote the fundamental human rights of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

 

Done in Banjul, The Gambia, 29 November 2006