Central African Republic

Since 2003, the Central African Republic (CAR) has endured some form of armed conflict, with sexual violence used indiscriminately by all parties. As is often the case when conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) is wielded so widely across communities, most of its victims have never seen justice nor obtained much needed care and acknowledgment for what they suffered. 

To address this significant gap, we partnered with the Association des Femmes Juristes Centrafricaines (AFJC), an organisation working with survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in the country for more than 30 years. The Dr Denis Mukwege Foundation has also joined us to share their expertise in holistic care for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. 

The project will focus on providing interim reparative measures to survivors. Survivors identified the following as the greatest needs for their community during our initial consultations, an integral part of Global Survivors Fund’s (GSF) co-creation approach:

• Compensation
• Socio-economic training and vocational coaching to strengthen or establish personal and professional projects (education, livelihood)
• Medical, psychological, and psychosocial care
• Access to identity documents for survivors and their children

The project also includes important Advocacy and Guide work to the Central African authorities, including the Strategic Committee against Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, and the Truth, Justice, Reparation and Reconciliation Commission responsible for developing a reparation policy in CAR.

The Strategic Committee is a joint platform of governmental authorities, civil society groups, and international partners to monitor incidents involving CRSV. It also prepares policiesthat facilitate prosecution of perpetrators and furthers prevention of further acts of CRSV. The Truth Commission is a transitional justice instrument seeking to clarify the most serious human rights violations committed in the recurring conflicts taking place in CAR. They also work to identify policies in favour of victims and non-recurrence, including a national reparation mechanism. GSF has been a key partner to both institutions, supporting their planning process and providing technical support in creating a roadmap for a reparation policy.