A/HRC/RES/42/34
Noting the progress made by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo in preventing and ending the recruitment and use of children, which has resulted in
its removal from the list for this violation contained in the annual report of the Special
Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, and in
combating impunity,
Concerned about the humanitarian consequences of the violence affecting civilian
populations, particularly children and women, which have led to a significant increase in
the number of internally displaced persons and persons in need of humanitarian assistance,
Welcoming the disarmament of some armed militias in the Kasai region following
the elections of 30 December 2018, while calling on the militias that are still active to
initiate the process of disarmament and demobilization,
Welcoming also the organization of the presidential, national and provincial
legislative elections, which led to the first peaceful transfer of power between heads of
State in the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the important role played
by national and regional observer missions of the Southern African Development
Community, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and the African
Union,
Welcoming further the release in March 2019 of several hundred persons considered
to be political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, as well as the preliminary measures
taken by the President to put an end to the restrictions on democracy in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, in particular to the arbitrary arrest and detention of members of the
political opposition and representatives of civil society and the restriction of fundamental
freedoms such as the freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of the press and the right
of peaceful assembly, and encouraging the adoption of further measures with a view to
achieving this objective as soon as possible,
Calling on the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to continue
and to step up its efforts to respect, protect and uphold all human rights and fundamental
freedoms for all, in accordance with its international obligations, and to respect the rule of
law,
Recognizing the important role of the United Nations Organization Stabilization
Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United Nations Joint Human
Rights Office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in documenting human rights
violations and abuses and in improving the situation of human rights in the country,
Noting the efforts made in the region, in particular by the Southern African
Development Community, the African Union, the International Conference on the Great
Lakes Region and the Economic Community of Central African States, aimed at
contributing to peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Noting also, firstly, the progress made in combating impunity for perpetrators of
sexual violence and in ensuring that victims have access to justice for the reparation of
harm suffered, including through the establishment, by the Office of the Personal
Representative of the Head of State tasked with fighting against sexual violence and the
recruitment of children, of a helpline for victims of sexual violence, which contributes to
the fight against impunity, and, secondly, the adoption by the Government of a plan of
action for the national police to fight against sexual violence and to ensure the protection of
children,
Noting further the efforts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to implement its
commitments under the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic
Republic of the Congo and the Region, signed in Addis Ababa on 24 February 2013,
1.
Condemns unequivocally all acts of violence, especially in areas of the
country affected by armed or intercommunal conflict, including the violence committed in
Yumbi territory in December 2018, and urges all stakeholders to reject any kind of
violence, to exercise maximum restraint in their actions in order to avoid further inflaming
the situation, and to settle their disputes peacefully;
2
GE.19-16917