by Fatou Sylla

05 March 2004

Goma, DR Congo: In Congo, the war has cost women dearly. The widespread practice of sexual violence against women and girls, is a violation of human rights, international humanitarian law, international criminal law and Congolese law.

In the areas covered by the Human Rights Office in Goma (Eastern Congo, Province of North-Kivu), victims range in age from less than 14, to women over fifty. Gang rapes committed by up to twenty men are commonplace. Moreover, rapes are often accompanied by acts of torture. Victims are beaten sticks, kicked, hit with the butt of aggressors’ rifle, or whipped. At home, relatives of sexually assaulted women are sometimes victims of summary executions.

Abductions are common place, with the purpose of sexual exploitation. In addition to the psychological trauma, the physical injuries, the STDs including HIV/AIDS, some victims are then rejected by their husbands, their whole family or/and community.

In spite of the psychological, physical, social and legal gravity of these criminal acts, it takes place in a climate of almost complete impunity. Very few perpetrators are arrested and so far, to the best of my knowledge, not one has never been convicted.

In accordance with Security Council Resolution 1493, which states “those responsible, including those at the command level” must be brought to justice, one of the goals of the monitoring work of the Human Rights Section is to contribute to the fight against impunity. To this end, the Office in Goma closely follows the rare pending cases with the military magistrates.

In addition to the monitoring of sexual violence, the Human Rights Section in Goma, together with the Field Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) and UNICEF, a commission on sexual violence has been created in North-Kivu. Its goal is to create synergies, an exchange of information and best practices, and further improve the work of the different actors in this field. The Commission is made up of four subgroups:

    * prevention and public awareness campaign
    * monitoring
    * psychosocial and medical
    * judicial.

Local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), various UN agencies, judicial, administrative authorities along with the police participate in the Commission.