section b
Meaningful and sustainable peace in Burundi will require that the rule of law is respected and enforced and that the general population has confidence in its execution and delivery. This is particularly important with regard to the ability of the justice system to respond to the perceived and reported rise in violent crime in Burundi.
B.3.2 Case study: Addressing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the DRC Context: Civilian populations, particularly women, have been the greatest victims of the Congo conflict. They have experienced violence during and after the conflict, violence in the community through harmful practices and discrimination and yet, have limited access to justice. In 2009 UNFPA recorded a total of 17,507 cases of sexual violence in DRC.43 Specific cases include mass rapes in Walikali, Busani, Pinga and Fizi. The perpetrators were both militia, armed groups including the FDRR, FARDC, Mai Mai, and government forces. Over time community protection mechanisms and the status of women and girls have been eroded. Rape survivors continue to be stigmatized, suffering social and economic exclusion, and few have access to adequate medical and psychosocial care. The principal causes of the high incidence of rape are both political and social and include:
43 UNDP ProDoc on Strengthening Investigation and Prosecution Capacity of the Military Justice System on Sexual Violence in eastern DRC (through SCR 1888 Team of Experts).
Kanyere sits in a shelter in North Kivu in the DRC while her 3 year old child, Kabira, who was raped by a 48 year old man, looks on. Š Lynsey Addario/VII/Corbis
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