A/HRC/25/44
17.
In 2013, despite the law prohibiting female genital mutilation, the OHCHR Guinea
office noted the continuing existence of several forms of violence against girls and women,
in particular female genital mutilation, which 96 per cent of girls and women still undergo,
according to official statistics (Ministry of Social Affairs, the Advancement of Women and
Children’s Affairs) and which are performed by both paramedical practitioners and
traditional practitioners. Forced and early marriages, domestic violence and sexual
violence, including acts carried out in places of detention by law enforcement officials, are
recurrent forms of violence against girls and women in Guinea. Such violence occurs
throughout the country but is particularly widespread and recurrent in Guinée Forestière.
18.
In 2013, the OHCHR office in Guinea and the civil society organizations involved in
this field catalogued at least 72 cases of rape and sexual assault, including 55 cases
involving minors. In total, at least 600 acts of violence were committed against women, 92
per cent of which were against women aged from 15 to 49. Some of these acts committed
by law enforcement officials, in particular in custody cells or prison cells, have remained
unpunished. Thus, the perpetrators of rapes of underage girls committed at the Lola prison
and during custody at the Samoe police station have not yet been prosecuted.
19.
Victims who have filed complaints have been subjected to acts of intimidation or
pressure from members of their family or the community.
20.
In recent years, the Government has made considerable efforts in the areas of
legislative and institutional reform and training and awareness-raising in the fight against
sexual violence and violence against women and girls. Measures adopted include a law on
reproductive health, along with five implementing orders, a children’s code prohibiting and
criminalizing female genital mutilation, a strategic plan to combat gender-based violence
and a strategic plan on accelerated measures to end female genital mutilation for the period
2012–2016.
21.
With the support of the United Nations system, an action plan has been adopted for
the implementation of Security Council resolutions 1325 (2000), 2106 (2013) and 2122
(2013). Fourteen special police stations have been created and the national protection body,
the Office for the Protection of Gender, Children and Morals, has been restructured with a
view to making the fight against sexual violence and violence against women and girls
more effective. With the technical support of national and international partners, numerous
training and awareness-raising sessions have been organized for magistrates and criminal
investigation officers on these forms of violence.
22.
Nevertheless, the social context affects the efforts made to combat sexual violence
and violence against women and girls, in particular the fear of being stigmatized, which
leads families to prefer discreet, amicable settlements. Out of 363 cases of sexual assault
against women or girls in Conakry, only 18 were brought to court in 2013. The lack of
adequate medical and psychosocial care services, the crisis of confidence in the judicial
system and the impunity surrounding such violence are also important factors limiting the
results of the efforts made.
C.
Civil liberties and elections
23.
In her previous report, the High Commissioner recommended that the Government
should safeguard respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, in particular the right to
demonstrate peacefully (A/HRC/22/39, para. 54 (a)). The free exercise of these freedoms
was somewhat restricted in the context of the elections, either by the action or the failure to
act of the Government.
24.
The right to freedom of peaceful demonstration is safeguarded by article 10 of the
Guinean Constitution and the arrangements for its implementation are provided for in
GE.14-10910
7
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