A/HRC/13/63
page 19
needs to do more to ensure that no children are present within the integrated brigades,
and continue to allow access of MONUC and UNICEF in a timely manner to all units
for monitoring and verification of the presence of children and release of all children
associated with integrated brigades. It must ensure rigorous investigation and hold
perpetrators accountable. Suspected perpetrators of grave child rights violations should
not be simply reassigned, especially to the same locations where the supposed abuse and
violence have taken place.
72.
During the course of the visit of the Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral for children and armed conflict in April 2009, the Minister for Defence and the
FARDC Military Command, through the Army Chief of Staff, committed to entering
into dialogue with the United Nations for the preparation of a time-bound action plan
for the prevention of child recruitment and identification and release of those children
already present in integrated FARDC brigades, in the framework of Security Council
resolutions 1539 (2004) and 1612 (2005). They also agreed to facilitate the access of
MONUC and UNICEF to the rapid integration process of CNDP and FARDC in South
Kivu for systematic identification and release of children. When this report was
finalized, MONUC was still waiting for the Government to confirm in writing its
commitment to developing an action plan and for meetings with Government
representatives to discuss how to address the continued problem of children within the
FARDC ranks.
73.
The experts reiterate their recommendation that the Government and FARDC
Military Command cooperate in elaborating an action plan on recruitment and use of
child soldiers as stipulated in Security Council resolutions 1539 and 1612 on children
and armed conflict.35 This action plan should entail specific measures to prevent
recruitment and use of children, identify and release all children associated with their
armed forces and ensure access for child protection actors for ongoing monitoring and
verification. Cross-border frameworks of cooperation and information exchange must
be established and enhanced to address these concerns, both among United Nations
actors and NGOs and between Governments.
74.
Donors should commit to multi-year funding to ensure the sustainability of child
reintegration programmes in line with the Paris Principles on children associated with
armed forces or armed groups. They should ensure that such resource commitments are
flexible and resources are delivered early.
D. Protecting women’s rights and ensuring gender equality in law and society
75.
Limited progress has been made in the implementation of the experts’
recommendations on protecting women’s rights and ensuring gender equality
(A/HRC/10/59, paras. 102-104), which therefore remain fully applicable. Given the
shocking levels of violence against women throughout the country, it is important that
the Government and donors continue to address such violence and assistance to
survivors as a matter of priority by building on current initiatives and enhancing
coordination, including with local women’s organizations.
35
See A/HRC/10/59, para. 99.
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