A/HRC/30/33 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 24 August 2015 English Original: French Human Rights Council Thirtieth session Agenda items 2 and 10 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary -General Technical assistance and capacity-building Study on the impact of technical assistance and capacitybuilding on the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2008-2014) Report of the United Nations Summary The present study is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution A/HRC/RES/27/27 of 26 September 2014, in which the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights was requested to “commission a study on the impact of technical assistance and capacity-building on the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to submit the report at its thirtieth session within the framework of an interactive dialogue”. It is based on activities conducted throughout the country between 2008 and the end of 2014 by the United Nations and international NGOs, with the support of Member States. During the period under consideration, the technical assistance provided by the international community made it possible to achieve significant legislative and institutional progress and improved conduct on the part of duty bearers and rights holders. The country’s legal framework has evolved, notably with the adoption in 2013 of an Institutional Act giving courts of appeal jurisdiction over crimes of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Institutional developments in the area of human rights include the establishment of the human rights liaison entity and the Human Rights Defenders Protection Unit. The National Human Rights Commission was set up in 2013 and its members were appointed in 2015. The fact that victims of sexual violence have gradually become aware of their need for justice and assistance has helped to combat impunity for crimes under international law and sexual and gender-based violence committed by senior officers of the defence and security forces and by armed groups. A growing number of members of those forces and groups have been found guilty of massacres, sexual GE.15-14279 (E) 170915 *1514279* 180915