Bunia, 15 June 2012 –Twenty-five officers and non-commissioned officers of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) underwent five-day training on sexual violence. During the workshop which started on Thursday, 7 June, the following related topics were also addressed, namely human rights and child protection, international humanitarian law, gender and military Code of Conduct.

Organized by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in collaboration with the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), this training workshop aimed at enhancing the capacity of officers and non-commissioned officers of the Congolese armed forces in the fight against sexual violence against women. It is expected that these trained soldiers will in turn transfer this knowledge to other elements in ââthe Ituri district operational area.

In his introductory note, Freddy Bosomba, the district commissioner, expressed the wish that the lessons learned can be an effective tool in improving the image of FARDC elements, which have on several occasions been found guilty of wrongdoing, especially mass rape and other abuses. For his part, the MONUSCO Head of Office for Ituri, Mhand Ladjouzi, emphasized the importance of this workshop as part of the security sector reform in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The opening ceremony was chaired by General José Mulupi, chief of citizenship within the FARDC.

Bilamekaso Tchagbele/ MONUSCO