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an Eldis Resource

This paper argues that the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), fuelled by exploitation of natural resources and power struggles, is having an untold impact on exploitation of children. The report suggests that the situation in DRC is a result of decades of poor governance and broader regional insecurity.

Recommendations to the UN Security Council:

• ensure the inclusion of children’s security and rights as a priority agenda item in discussions and agreements towards peace and throughout the transitional period. Children and women’s groups and other members of civil society should be supported and included in all such negotiations
• ensure that peace negotiations immediately and adequately address the situations in Ituri District and the Kivus and the impact of ongoing violence and insecurity in children in these areas
• urge all donor governments and agencies to provide MONUC, UNICEF and implementing partners with sufficient human and financial resources to adequately protect children in DRC. This should include major contributions towards the UN Consolidated Appeals Process for 2003. Funds should be provided for emergency and humanitarian services and should not be contingent on a peace agreement

Recommendations to the UN mission in DRC (MONUC):

• expand the mandate and capacity of MONUC to include protection of civilians, including children and adolescents, against violations of international law. This should include protection of women and girls from rape and other forms of gender-based violence
• maintain MONUC’s Child Protection Section and ensure sufficient resources to address child protection concerns in DRC
• support efforts to train MONUC civilian and military personnel in child protection issues
• call for implementation of HIV/AIDS education and HIV testing and counselling services for all UN peacekeepers
• call on troop-contributing countries to incorporate the Six Core Principles of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee on Emergencies into pertinent codes of conduct for peacekeeping personnel
• strengthen capacity within MONUC to properly investigate allegations of abuse, sexual exploitation or other forms of misconduct; apply appropriate disciplinary measures for MONUC personnel and encourage troop-contributing countries to take similar action
• monitor the impact of the Interim Emergency Multinational Force in Bunia and expand its mandate to stabilise the situation in areas outside of Bunia

Recommendations for child soldiers:

• call on all parties to conflict to immediately halt the recruitment and use of all children associated with regular and irregular armed forces. To this end, call on the DRC government to immediately implement commitments not to recruit or use children
• call on all non-state armed groups to officially endorse the standards set by the Protocol and take immediate measures to uphold this standard
• enter into dialogue with all parties in DRC that recruit or use child soldiers, as listed by the Secretary-General in his 2002 report on Children and Armed Conflict “in order to develop a clear time bound action plan to end these practices,” as set out in UNSC Resolution 1460 (para. 4)
• call on the 10 parties to the conflict in DRC identified in the Annex to the Secretary-General’s list “to provide information on steps they have taken to halt their recruitment or use of children in armed conflict in violation of the international obligations applicable to them,” in accordance with UNSC Resolution 1460 (para. 5)

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