| Overview : Security Council resolution (SCR) 1888 (2009) recognized, among other things, that there is a need for civilian and military leaders, consistent with the principle of command responsibility, to demonstrate commitment and political will to prevent sexual violence, combat impunity and enforce accountability. The resolution also recognizes that inaction can send a message that sexual violence in conflicts is tolerated. To that end, under paragraph 8 of SCR 1888, the Secretary-General was called upon to identify and take appropriate measures to deploy rapidly a team of experts to situations of particular concern with respect to sexual violence in armed conflict, working through the United Nations presence on the ground and with the consent of the host government, to assist national authorities to strengthen the rule of law. This team is to, among other things, work closely with national legal and judicial officials and other personnel in the relevant governments’ civilian and military justice systems to address impunity, including by the strengthening of national capacity, and drawing attention to the full range of justice mechanisms to be considered. Regrettably, the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has not been immune to repeated incidents of, among other things, sexual violence crimes, particularly in the areas of North Kivu and South Kivu. Therefore, under paragraph 12 d) of its resolution 1925 (2010), the Security Council mandated MONUSCO to “Support national and international efforts to bring perpetrators to justice, including by establishing Prosecution Support Cells to assist the FARDC military justice authorities in prosecuting persons arrested by the FARDC”. Under the supervision of the PSC Project Coordinator, each of the Prosecution Support Cells (PSCs) is comprised of up to four international experts – one Military Prosecutions Adviser, one Civilian Justice (Prosecutions) Adviser, one United Nations Police Adviser and one Military Police Investigation Adviser - to provide technical advice and logistical support to FARDC military prosecutors and investigators in the conduct of investigations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with a particular emphasis on sexual violence crimes, as well as in the conduct of investigation of other violent crimes, such as homicide and pillage of natural resources perpetrated in the Eastern Provinces of the DRC. To complement and strengthen the expertise in investigations of sexual violence crimes of the PSCs, and in keeping with the mandate under SCR 1888, there is a need to support the PSCs in North Kivu and South Kivu immediately with a sexual violence crimes investigations adviser |
