Wednesday 23 April 2014


This article was published in The Broken Rifle, December 2013, No. 98



REPORT ON THE TRAINING OF MEMBERS OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY RETURN TO THE BASIS:
 THE FIGHT AGAINST SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND VIOLENCE DURING ARMED CONFLICTS


Training supported by the Team responsible for the Behaviour and Discipline (TBD) - MISSION OF NARRATIVE REPORT ON THE TRAINING OF MEMBERS OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY, RETURN TO THE BASIS: THE FIGHT AGAINST SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND VIOLENCE DURING ARMED CONFLICTS

  1. INTRODUCTION
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been faced with armed conflicts for over 18 years, and women and child rape has been used as a weapon to humiliate and destroy entire communities. The Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including North and South Kivu, are the provinces most affected by the atrocities of war and all its consequent violence: the massive displacement of populations, the use of child soldiers, the destruction of schools and medical structures, the illegal exploitation of natural and mining resources to support the activities of armed groups and more.
The activism of armed groups and rebellions are at the centre of all forms of violence against civil populations, including tensions amongst various communities, and all this leads to permanent poverty. Hate speeches and climates of terror settle at the expense of the survivors of sexual violence and exploitation to ensure they don’t denounce their persecutors.
That’s why the training of members of the civil society in the fight against exploitation and sexual violence is a necessity to respond to the survivors’ needs and to take matters into control in order to install a climate of peace among the communities exposed to violence.
This training has been conducted by Emery NKANKA from the Solidarity and Child and Mother Development Association, a Non-Governmental Organisation that promotes and protects the rights of children and women victim of violence and exclusion. The organisation has been supported by the Team responsible for Behaviour and Discipline (TBD) of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). 

  1. OBJECTIVES OF THE TRAINING
  • To raise awareness amongst the stakeholders of civil society regarding exploitation and sexual violence committed by armed groups, the United Nations personnel and the humanitarian family;
  • To promote a clear and uniform understanding of the definition of sexual exploitation and sexual violence (SEV) according to the United Nations;
  • To share and discuss the consequences of SEV;
  • To acquire a better understanding of their role and that of their partners regarding the prevention and denunciation of faults relative to the sexual exploitation and violence, and how to take care of the survivors of such violence.

  1. ESSENTIAL DATA
Location: Meeting room in the Secularism House of Kinshasa
Municipality of Limete
Date : Wednesday 15 may 2013
Number of participants : 31


Gender of participants
 
 
Profession

 














Head offices of the organisation














 Sector of action


Field of action

  1. PROGRAM
The training started with:
  • A self-introduction of the participants, preceded by a welcoming address and the presentation of the Secularism House of Kinshasa by the permanent Secretary, Robert Musa ;
  • PowerPoint presentation of the program and the objectives of the training by the facilitator ;
  • Presentation and explanation of the terms of reference of the TBD, the key messages, example and consequences of sexual violence and exploitation, the leading principles of the United Nations and MONUSCO, the definitions of SEV, how to denounce violations, the strategy of assistance to victims, as well as the monitoring and sanctions ;
  • Presentation and explanation of the memorandum of the Secretary General of the United Nations ;
  • Debate and game of questions and answers


  • Definitions of sexual exploitation and violence ;
  • The year of creation of the TBD ;
  • The procedure of expulsion of United Nations personnel guilty of SEV (is it a strategy to help it avoid the sanction?) ;
  • The means of collaboration between the NGOs and embassies for the monitoring regarding expulsed personnel ;
  • What will the nationality of a child produced by a congolese woman and an expulsed member of the personnel be ;
  • The procedure of seizure of jurisdiction of the TBD if the incriminated person is still in the United Nations system ;
  • What are the prevention measures of the MONUSCO ;
  • Is the denounciation by phone a good strategy ;
  • In the event of the SEV on a minor, is the Tribunal for Children competent?
  • The role of the MONUSCO against countries who have not penalised



  1. RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Prosecute a member of the United Nations personnel guilty of SEV by a congolese tribunal to avoid impunity ;
  • The TBD must monitor every level of the procedure in the event of the incrimination of a member of the personnel ;
  • Expand the training in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in its entirety ;
  • Intensify the raising of awareness on SEV and the TBD ;
  • Organise TV and radio shows ;
  • Distribute posters and other materials to raise awareness and prevention.

  1. CONCLUSION
The participants have learnt for the first time of the existence of the TBD and have committed to collaborate in the fight against SEV under all its forms, all the while prioritising the prevention strategy. The information learnt during the training has also enabled them to identify the other officials of the United Nations system and the members of armed groups affected by this procedure. A majority of the participants were frightened by the prospect that Member States of the United Nations could refuse to prosecute their citizens guilty of SEV. Therefore, to quell trust crises in the procedure to prosecute an official of the United Nations, it is necessary to share information on successful cases.


EMERY NKANKA
FACILITATOR
TEL 09 98 369 568/ 089 810 32 71
Email: emerynkanka@gmail.com




















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