All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Prevention of Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity

September 16, 2009

OTTAWA – The Chair of the Canadian All-Party Parliamentary Group for Genocide Prevention released his report on the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and called for Canadian action to end the atrocities.

“Millions of lives have been lost, communities have been destroyed and civilians, particularly women, have carried the weight of the ongoing armed conflict in the DRC,” said Paul Dewar, MP and the Chair of the all-party group.

The report describes the situation in the DRC as a “femicide” and calls for the implementation of United Nations Resolutions 1325 and 1820 to stop these crimes. The resolutions demand for the participation of women in peace processes and the protection of women and girls from violence.

“Sexual violence in the Congo has reached epidemic levels and Canadian parliamentarians must take the lead in advocating for the government to prioritize the issue,” Dewar contended.

As of December 31, 2008, the Canadian cumulative mining assets in the DRC were valued at over $5.7 billion.

“We owe it to the people of the DRC to take action, as a peaceful and stable DRC is crucial for a prosperous Canada,” said Dewar. “This is not a problem without a solution. Canada is in a perfect position to make a difference”.

The report calls for Canada to:

1. Implement a National Action Plan on United Nations Resolutions 1325 and 1820 on women’s participation in peace building.
2. Work with the UN to end the culture of impunity that surrounds sexual and gender-based violence.
3. Provide specialized training on sexual and gender-based violence to UN peacekeepers.
4. Formulate and pass legislation for “rape-free phones” and other rape-free products.
5. Renew and increase funding to CIDA-supported projects in the DRC.

Read the full report at: http://www.preventiongenocide.org/rpt

For more information please contact:

Mallory Mroz, Genocide Prevention Group, 613-995-8955