SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN CONFLICT IN DARFUR

That this House is deeply concerned that sexual violence is a persistent and endemic part of the conflict in Darfur; is disturbed by the findings of the recent report by Waging Peace Rape in Darfur: A History of Predation on the use of rape as a weapon of war; is alarmed that perpetrators of sexual violence in Darfur mostly act with impunity due to the low levels of reporting and prosecution of these crimes; deplores that, in order to prosecute a rape in Sudan, a victim is required to bring four male witnesses who will confirm that the act was without consent; is perturbed that victims of sexual violence rarely receive the necessary physical or psychological medical support; calls on all armed actors operating in Darfur to respect international humanitarian law and ensure that preventative mechanisms are established to eradicate acts of sexual violence perpetrated by their forces; underscores the vital mandate of the joint United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) to provide protection to the civilian population of Darfur; notes that reported sexual abuses often occur immediately outside of UNAMID-controlled areas; further calls for an immediate improvement in UNAMID's capacity to patrol and provide protection to the civilians of Darfur outside of UNAMID-controlled areas; and encourages UNAMID to investigate the possibility of introducing community liaison assistants in UNAMID camps whom residents can consult about their protection needs.