Côte d’Ivoire (S/2013/605)

The Midterm report of the Group of Experts on Côte d’Ivoire pursuant to paragraph 19 of Security Council resolution 2101 (2013), dated 14 October 2013 (S/2013/605) reports on the imposed sanctions and its enforcement. The report is divided into the following eleven sections with an addition of fourteen annexes: Introduction; Investigation methodology; Compliance with the Group’s requests for information; Sanctions-related regional issues; Cooperation with stakeholders; Arms; Finance; Customs and transport; Diamonds; Individual Sanctions; and Recommendations. The report discusses the Group’s view regarding the political and security situation expressing concern about the expansion of the power of the leaders of the former Forces nouvelles opposition.

Women, peace and security issues are not referenced in this report.

The report misses numerous opportunities for providing a gender lens by the absence of gender-disaggregated data when reporting on former combatants and a gender lens when evaluating Cote d’Ivoire’s security sector reform program. The Group of experts does not include or reviews data provided by civil society or women-based organizations in regards to alleged violations of sanctions. Further, the report fails to include perpetrators accountable for sexual and gender-based violence within designated travel bans, asset freezes and other measures. Finally, the report fails to incorporate a gender lens within efforts for the implementation of the measures imposed as well as actions taken on behalf of the information regarding alleged violations or non-compliance.  

In relation to the recommendations put forth in the June 2013 MAP, the report’s record is inadequate. The MAP calls for the need to address impunity for sexual and gender-based violence as well as report on the barriers to women’s full participation in justice and reconciliation processes as well as the role of women in peacebuilding, security sector reform and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes.[1] The Council could strengthen its efforts in including a separate criterion for reporting on sexual and gender-based violence as well as include information reported by the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict to the sanctions committees and associated expert groups.

The absence of women, peace and security in the Midterm report of the Group of Experts on Côte d’Ivoire of 14 October 2013 (S/2013/605) is on par with the previous Final report of the Group of Experts on Côte d’Ivoire of 17 April 2013 (S/2013/228). Neither report incorporates a gender lens when discussing and reporting on violations of human rights abuses in regards to the sanctions regime in Côte d’Ivoire.

[1] http://womenpeacesecurity.org/media/pdf-MAP_June2013.pdf