Joint Statement By The Special Representatives Of The Secretary-General On Sexual Violence In Conflict And For Children And Armed Conflict Commending Landmark Conviction For Crimes Against Humanity By The Democratic Republic Of The Congo
Final Declaration Of The High-Level International Conference On “10 Years Of Peace Building By Women, For Women And All” Held In Kinshasa From 4 To 5 December 2017 (In French)
Final Declaration Of The High-Level International Conference On “10 Years Of Peace Building By Women, For Women And All” Held In Kinshasa From 4 To 5 December 2017
12. Urges continued regional and international support for initiatives aimed at promoting inclusive dialogue amongst national stakeholders and stresses the importance of opening political space to enable the full and free participation of peaceful political parties, civil society and the media as well as the full participation of both men and women in the political process, urges international and regional support for strengthening and improving capacity for elections and governance in the countries of the region, and calls on member states in the Great Lakes region to take steps to ensure that electoral processes promote peace and security through timely, peaceful, inclusive and credible elections, in line with countries’ own constitutions and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, as applicable;
2. Welcomes also the progress under the Regional Plan of action for the Implementation of the Regional Commitments under the PSC Framework, including the recent activities in the areas of youth and women, combating illegal exploitation of natural resources and judicial cooperation, as well as the endorsement of the updated list of Priority Activities of the Regional Plan of Action.
14. Shares the view expressed in the RSF GLR that there is an urgent need to address violence and discrimination against women and girls, including rape and other forms of sexual violence in the Great Lakes region and take into account the link between women´s participation in peace and security decision-making, for peace and gender equality;
15. Supports the regional initiatives on the issue of gender related violence in armed conflict to influence regional and local decision makers, aimed at the implementation of the commitments of the Kampala Declaration addressing impunity for gender based crimes at the country level and to improve women’s visibility, empowerment and resilience;
18. Stresses the need to find durable solutions for refugees, internally displaced persons and asylum seekers in the region, the majority of whom are women and children and are especially affected, and welcomes the efforts of Governments in the region and of regional and subregional organizations, as well as the hospitality provided by host communities for the millions of displaced people, and recalls in this regard obligations of the States in the region under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees;
The present report covers developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 29 September 2017 and is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 2348 (2017), in which the Council requested the Secretary-General to update it in writing every 45 days on political and technical progress in and obstacles to the implementation of the Comprehensive and Inclusive Political Agreement signed on 31 December 2016.