Central African Republic (S/2013/787)

This report provided an update on the situation in the CAR and the activities of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA) covering the period of 1 August to 31 December 2013. The report was composed of the following sections: Introduction, Update on major developments; and Observations. The main issues that were covered by this report were: the deterioration of the situation in the country, including the attack in Bangui on 5 December which left more than 600 people dead and 214,000 internally displaced

This report included numerous great references to the entire women, peace and security agenda, especially in regards to the participation of women in political processes. The report provided a balanced portrayal of both protection and participation concerns for women in the Central African Republic. Some of the main issues that were discussed throughout the report included: meetings with civil society including women’s groups during the joint assessment mission to CAR from 17 to 21 December; the political inclusion of women in the National Electoral Authority which includes two women and the Transitional Constitutional Court which includes four women. At the same time, the report also portrayed women and children as victims of disappearances and abductions.

An entire section of this report including five whole paragraphs was dedicated exclusively to women, peace and security discussing the following issues: sexual violence, forced marriages, women’s fear to report abuses, and limited availability of medical and psychosocial assistance for victims. The report also discussed the situation of 20 women who were running a sensitization campaign and were arrested. Furthermore, this report recalled resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008) as well as the promotion of gender equality and the entire peace and security agenda for women.

Despite the several noteworthy references previously mentioned, this report did not provide any sex-disaggregated data on dead or injured people and internally displaced persons, to mention a couple of concrete examples.  The report also did not provide a detailed gender perspective on the rule of law and transitional justice as well as on the humanitarian situation.