A/HRC/24/33 25. As mentioned by the High Commissioner in her previous reports, most reported rape cases are not investigated and do not reach a court of law. In cases where the perpetrators are ordered to pay damages, the victim rarely, if ever, receives them. Perpetrators are often insolvent, and the State has still not allocated funds for reparations, while the execution of awards requires the payment of additional legal fees that often prohibit follow-up by victims. 26. In other developments regarding women’s rights, the submission by the Democratic Republic of the Congo of its combined sixth and seventh reports to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 24 was a positive development in 2012. OHCHR is confident that the dialogue between the Committee and the State party will lead to further progress for the advancement of women’s rights. 3. Action taken by the Joint Human Rights Office 27. The Joint Human Rights Office continued to monitor, and follow up and report on cases of sexual violence, including through the publication of reports, such as the report on human rights violations by FARDC soldiers and M23 combatants in Goma and Sake, North Kivu province, and in and around Minova, South Kivu province, from 15 November to 2 December 2012.22 The Office also continued to provide support to judicial authorities to help them to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of sexual violence, including through the deployment of mobile court hearings in remote areas. In partnership with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), the Office is implementing projects to improve access to justice for victims through legal assistance provided by national and international non-governmental organizations. During the period under review, a total of 1,449 victims of sexual violence were provided with legal assistance through the CIDA and SIDA projects, which resulted in 235 court decisions. In partnership with the Government of Brazil, the Office also provided economic reintegration kits (usually comprising tools and supplies for the small business activity that beneficiaries have chosen and been trained in) and counselling and business training to victims of sexual violence. 28. Since the previous report of the High Commissioner, the Joint Human Rights Office has taken a number of steps to raise awareness among State agents and civil society on national laws against sexual violence. For example, in January 2013, the Office organized a training session on sexual violence monitoring for 40 PNC agents and 41 members of civil society, in Ango territory, Orientale province. In addition, during the period under review, the Office trained 350 magistrates on sexual violence laws and procedures. 29. The Joint Human Rights Office remains engaged with the Government i strategies to combat sexual violence; for instance, it continues to support the Government’s efforts to implement the national strategy to combat sexual and gender-based violence, and is part of a technical team, led by the Ministry of Gender, Family and Child Affairs, to discuss ways to improve mechanisms to address sexual violence. In a very positive development, on 30 March 2012, the Prime Minister and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict signed a joint communiqué, which contained a list of the commitments made by the Government to tackle sexual violence, including the need to establish effective mechanisms to protect against sexual violence in conflict situations. 24 10 CEDAW/C/COD/Q/6-7/Add.1.