A/HRC/13/63 page 20 76. Technical assistance for the implementation of the National Strategy to Combat Sexual Violence and the roadmap against impunity for sexual violence should be fostered, without detracting from crucial support to local Congolese NGOs for women. Supporting advocacy and ensuring widespread dissemination of the 2006 Sexual Violence Act, including by training judicial officials involved in its application, is of fundamental importance. The United Nations Comprehensive Strategy on Combating Sexual Violence – the tenets of which are also reflected in the United Nations Security and Stabilization Support Strategy – offers a good framework to coordinate the response of the United Nations, the Government, civil society and international donors. The establishment of benchmarks, in consultation with all actors, should be given priority, as an important accountability measure and an essential tool in steering donor priorities. 77. Legislation to reform the Family Code and implement the gender equality provision contained in the Constitution is still much needed. Donors should continue to support advocacy and awareness-raising programmes to make sure that these reforms are passed by Parliament and enacted into law. E. Addressing economic root causes of human rights violations 78. The illegal exploitation of natural resources continues to be one of the main causes of human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, either directly through violations linked to the actual exploitation and trade or indirectly because the proceeds finance unscrupulous armed groups and rogue FARDC elements. Reportedly, illegal mineral exports to neighbouring States have significantly increased since 2008, particularly since the rapprochement between Kinshasa and Kigali in January 2009. Rogue factions of FARDC, other armed groups and traders of casserite, coltan and wolfram collaborating with them have profited from this increase.36 79. Corruption and other illegal practices in the mining sector deprive the Government of resources it could dedicate towards the progressive realization of economic and social rights. In September 2009, the Congolese Senate considered a report by Senator David Mutamba Dibwe, which found that in 2008 alone the Government did not receive US$ 450 million in resources it should have reasonably gained from the exploitation of the country’s natural resources. 80. The Government has made little progress in implementing its commitments under the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (see A/HRC/10/59, para. 105) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains only a candidate country. There is still a lack of transparent management and reliable statistics; revenues generated by the exploitation of natural resources are not published and bad governance practices persist. 81. There have been some notable initiatives during 2009. Illicit mineral transfers in the region were addressed at the Constitutive Meeting of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region which took place in Gisenyi, Rwanda from 30 September to 2 October 2009 and brought together representatives of the Democratic Republic of the 36 S/2009/603, para. 299.