Central African Republic - As part of a cooperation agreement signed with MINUSCA UNPOL, IOM has organized a training of trainers to build the capacity of MINUSCA police officers to respond to and manage Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) cases in the Central African Republic (CAR).

The project: “Prevention of SGBV among IDPs and Host Populations in the Central African Republic”, funded by the Government of Canada, aims to train local security forces on how to address GBV cases, provide awareness-raising training to peer educators, and provide direct assistance kits to SGBV survivors and individuals at-risk.

The first workshop informed the trainees about the different services and appropriate assistance to which survivors can be referred, including medical, psychosocial and legal services. The officers were also trained on Central African legislation and international human rights law on rape as a war crime.

The workshop provided the officers with the tools to conduct the necessary interviews in order to investigate SGBV-related crimes, while respecting the need for sensitivity, confidentiality, non-discrimination and respect for the rights, wishes and dignity of the survivors.

“A good investigation must be rapid, orderly, critical, comprehensive and objective,” said MINUSCA Police Commissioner Luis Carrilho.

The trainees are expected to roll out the training across the national security forces country-wide, with the help of a training manual developed by IOM and MINUSCA UNPOL, in partnership with national security forces.

The SGBV project has also provided community-level SGBV awareness-raising training of 100 peer educators identified in the 3rd, 4th, 5th districts of Bangui, Bimbo and Bégou. It has also reinforced referral procedures for SGBV survivors.

The sessions, organized with the community leaders and local authorities, highlighted the benefits of reporting for the survivor in terms of accessing appropriate services, but also the benefits for society in allowing authorities to address the problem of sexual violence by arresting perpetrators.

IOM is also providing direct assistance to female-headed and at-risk households in areas known for high prevalence of SGBV. This includes providing family security kits and solar light systems in coordination with the local authorities, to enhance their residential security.

SGBV is a common feature in CAR, either as intimidation directly linked to the conflict, or as a result of the breakdown of state services, and a growing culture of impunity caused by the absence of law enforcement.

For further information, please contact Clément Hamon at IOM CAR, Tel+ +236 751 16042, Email: chamon@iom.int