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Democratic Republic of Congo DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO REPORT TO THE AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS FROM 2008 TO 2015 (11th, 12th and 13th Periodic Reports) AND OF THE PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS ON THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN FROM 2005 TO 2015 (INITIAL REPORT and 1st, 2nd and 3rd Periodic Reports) Table of Contents Introduction........................................................................................................................ 4 Part A: Implementation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.................... ... 5 General Background ......................................................................................................... 5 Measures taken to implement the recommendations contained in the Concluding Observations arising from consideration of the previous report ............................................................... 7 Difficulties encountered in the implementation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and the measures taken to address them................................................................................................................................ ...................32 Future Plans related to the implementation of the Charter ................................................. ..32 Measures taken to implement the recommendations made during promotion missions by special mechanisms .................................................................................................................. .33 Part B: Implementation of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa .................................................................................................. 33 i. Preparation process ...................................................................................................... 33 ii. Background Information .............................................................................................. 34 LEGAL FRAMEWORK .............................................................................................. 34 Relevant State Institutions for the implementation of the MAPUTO Protocol ................. 36 Other relevant Governmental and Parliamentary technical structures for the implementation of the MAPUTO Protocol .................................................................... ...38 iii. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE PROTOCOL ............................................ 39 1. EQUALITY/ NON-DISCRIMINATION ............................................................................. 39 ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION (ARTICLE 2)………………….. .................................... 39 ACCESS TO JUSTICE, INCLUDING LEGAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS (ARTICLE 8) .......................................................................... 42 POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND DECISION-MAKING (ARTICLE 9)……........44 EDUCATION (ARTICLE 12) ....................................................................................................... 46 2. PROTECTION OF WOMEN FROM VIOLENCE.................................................................... 49 Physical integrity and dignity, including sexual violence, trafficking in women and medical and scientific experiments (Articles 3 and 4) .................................................................. 49 Harmful practices inflicted on women including female genital mutilations (Article 5) .. 50 Stereotyping of women (Article 4(2) (c)) ................................................................. 52 Sexual harassment .............................................................................................. 54 Domestic violence (Article 4(2) (a) .......................................................................... 55 1 Support for victims of violence including medical services and psychological counselling ................................................................................................................................. 55 3. RIGHTS RELATING TO MARRIAGE (ARTICLES 6-7) .......................................................... 56 MARRIAGE AND ITS EFFECTS ON PROPERTY, NATIONALITY, NAME (ARTICLE 6(e) à (j)) 57 MINIMUM AGE FOR MARRIAGE (ARTICLE 6(b)) ......................................................... 58 REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGES (ARTICLE 6(D)) ....................................................... 59 PROTECTION OF WOMEN IN POLYGAMOUS MARRIAGES (ARTICLE 6(c)) ...................... 60 Protection of women during separation, divorce, annulment of marriages (Article 7) ..... 60 Protection of children in the family (Article 6(i) &(j)) ................................................. 61 4. THE RIGHTS TO HEALTH AND REPRODUCTION ............................................................... 61 Access to health services (Article 14(2) (a)) ............................................................. 62 Reproductive Health Services including reduction of maternal mortality (ARTICLE 14(1) (a) & (b)) ................................................................................................................... 63 PROVISIONS FOR ABORTION (ARTICLE 14 (2) (c)) ................................................... 67 HIV/AIDS (ARTICLE 14(1) (d)) ............................................................................... 68 Sexual Education (Article 14(1) (G)) ....................................................................... 69 5. ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS ........................................................... 70 ECONOMIC RIGHTS AND WELFARE (ARTICLE 13) ..................................................... 70 THE RIGHT TO FOOD SECURITY (ARTICLE 15) .......................................................... 75 THE RIGHT TO DECENT HOUSING (ARTICLE 16) ....................................................... 78 THE RIGHT TO A POSITIVE CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT (Art. 17) .................................. 79 RIGHT TO A HEALTHY AND VIABLE ENVIRONMENT (Art. 18) ...................................... 81 RIGHT TO A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO PROPERTY, ACCESS TO LAND AND CREDIT (Art. 19) ........................................................................ 83 6. RIGHT TO PEACE (ARTICLE 10) .................................................................................... 84 The inclusion of women in the process of conflict prevention and peacebuilding (Article 10(1)) and in all aspects of post-conflict reconstruction (Article 10(2)(e)) ............................ 85 Involvement of women in all aspects of planning, programme formulation and implementation in respect of post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation ...................... 87 REDUCTION OF MILITARY EXPENDITURE FOR SOCIAL EXPENDITURE (ARTICLE 10 (3)) ................................................................................................................................. 89 7. PROTECTION OF WOMEN IN ARMED CONFLICTS (ARTICLE 11) ......................90 PROTECTION MEASURES FOR DISPLACED, REPATRIATED PERSONS, REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS AND SANCTIONS FOR VIOLATION OF THESE PROTECTION MEASURES (Art. 11 (1) – (3)) ............................................................................................................... 90 8. THE GROUP RIGHTS OF WOMEN ENJOYING SPECIAL PROTECTION .............. ........................................................................................................................................ .95 PROTECTION OF WIDOWS INCLUDING THEIR INHERITANCE RIGHTS (ARTICLES 20 & 21) ............................................................................................................................ 95 2 PROTECTION OF ELDERLY WOMEN (Article 22) ......................................................... 97 PROTECTION OF WOMEN LIVING WITH DISABILITIES (Article 23) .............................. 99 PROTECTION OF WOMEN IN DISTRESS (Article 24) .................................................. 99 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................ 100 ANNEXES: TABLES OF KEY DATA AND OTHER STATISTICS .....................................103 3 Introduction 1. This report is submitted in accordance with Article 62 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights read in conjunction with Article 26 of the Protocol to the Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa, and in accordance with the new guidelines of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The latter recommends to State Parties to, henceforth, submit their periodic reports in two parts: Part A on the implementation of the Charter and Part B on the implementation of the Protocol. 2. With regard to Part A, the Democratic Republic of Congo is pleased to present its combined report covering the period from 2008 to 2015 (11th, 12th and 13th periodic reports). This part was prepared by the Interministerial Committee responsible for drafting the country’s reports on the implementation of international legal instruments. This Committee is presided over by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and it comprises several sector ministries and some civil society organizations, in particular, those ones working in the human rights sector (ONGDH). 3. The preparation of Part A of this report took into consideration the final recommendations of the African Union Commission made following the preceding Combined Report contained in its document with
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