CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS CONSTANT THREAT, UN ENVOY WARNS

From: UNNews <UNNews@un.org>
Date: 21 Mar 2014 18:00:00 -0400
Subject: CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS CONSTANT THREAT,
UN ENVOY WARNS
To: news11@ny-mail-p-lb-028.ptc.un.org

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS CONSTANT THREAT, UN ENVOY
WARNSNew York, Mar 21 2014 6:00PMDespite some improvement in the
security situation of the Central African Republic (CAR) - especially
in the capital, Bangui - conditions remain grave for civilians and
sexual violence continues to be used by all parties during attacks,
particularly against women and children, a United Nations envoy
discovered during a recent trip to the country.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence
in Conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura, made her second official visit to
CAR from 17 to 19 March to take stock of the situation there.

She met with State officials, civil society representatives and
humanitarian workers to discuss practical arrangements for the
prevention of and response to conflict-related sexual violence,
including victim assistance.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced persons are unable to return home
due to the threat of atrocities committed by perpetrators of
inter-communal and inter-religious violence. According to testimonies
Ms. Bangura heard, these crimes include recurring instances rape and
gang rape, forced marriage, sexual mutilation, abduction and sexual
slavery.

The Special Representative condemned these abuses and appealed to both
parties - Anti-Balaka and ex-Séléka - to cease the violence
immediately, reminding them that these crimes are punishable by
national and international courts.

Ms. Bangura expressed deep concern for the absence of multi-sectoral
assistance resources for victims of sexual violence, and the pervasive
climate of impunity due to the collapse of State authority, judicial
institutions and security forces.

President Catherine Samba-Panza renewed her commitment, following the
signing of the joint communiqué between the UN and the Government in
December 2012, to combat sexual violence.

As an immediate response to end the epidemic of conflict-related
sexual violence, the President and the Special Representative agreed
to the UN-backed deployment of a rapid response unit of the national
gendarmerie to respond to incidents of sexual violence in conflict in
Bangui.

Ms. Bangura called for women's active participation in the national
dialogue and in reconciliation efforts to restore peace which - with
the help of humanitarian agencies and donors - will require increased
assistance to victims, improved data collection, and the immediate
restoration of the judiciary.

Meanwhile, regarding the severe food shortage that the country is
facing, on a more positive note, the World Bank has announced that it
would be funding an $8 million agreement with the UN Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) as part of a $20 million World Food
Programme (WFP) aid plan to prevent the country from falling into a
full-scale nutrition crisis.

Short-term activities under the agreement will focus on providing
seeds and tools to 9,000 families for the upcoming mid-April planting
season.

The 9,000 families will each receive 25 kilos of seeds, which will
allow them to harvest an estimated 6 000 tonnes of maize, ground nuts
and rice by September of this year.

"Farmers need support so that they can produce their own food, restore
their livelihoods and take advantage of local economic opportunities,"
said Alexis Bonte, acting FAO Representative in the CAR.

In the longer term, the project will, among other things, focus on
empowering thousands of female farmers, explained Ms. Bonte, stressing
that "the role of women in food security, nutrition and peace is
crucial."Mar 21 2014 6:00PM
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