Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

13. Requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary measures to ensure full compliance of UNISFA with the United Nations zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuses and to keep the Council informed if cases of such conduct occur;

Reaffirming its previous resolutions 1674 (2006) and 1894 (2009) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, 1612 (2005), 1882 (2009), 1998 (2011) on children and armed conflict, 1502 (2003) on the protection of humanitarian and United Nations personnel, and 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), and 1889 (2009) and 1960 (2010) on women peace and security,

Deeply concerned at the increased rate of HIV/AIDS infection, in particular amongst women and girls as a result of the conflict,

Deeply concerned at the increased rate of HIV/AIDS infection, in particular amongst women and girls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

2. Condemns the massacres and the other systematic violations on International Humanitarian Law and human rights perpetrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in particular sexual violence against women and girls as a tool of warfare and atrocities perpetrated in the Ituri area by the Mouvement de liberation du Congo (MLC) and the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Democratie/National (RCD/N) troops, as well as the acts of violence recently perpetrated by the Union des Patriotes Congolais (UPC) forces, and reiterates that there will be no impunity for such acts that the perpetrators will be held accountable;

9. Reaffirms the importance of a gender perspective in peacekeeping operations in accordance with resolution 1325 (2000), recalls the need to address violence against women and girls as a tool of warfare, and in this respect encourages MONUC to continue to actively address this issue; and calls on MONUC to increase the deployment of women as military observers as well as in other capacities;

8. Strongly condemns the acts of violence systematically perpetrated against civilians, including the massacres, as well as other atrocities and violations of international humanitarian law and human rights, in particular, sexual violence against women and girls, stresses the need to bring to justice those responsible, including those at the command level, and urges all parties, including the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to take all necessary steps to prevent further violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, in particular those committed against civilians;

25. Expressing grave concern at the allegations of sexual exploitation and misconduct by civilian and military personnel of MONUC, requests the Secretary-General to continue to fully investigate these allegations to take the appropriate action in accordance with the Secretary-General's Bulletin on special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (ST/SGB/2003/13) and to keep the Council informed, further encourages MONUC to conduct training for personnel targeted to ensure full compliance with its code of conduct regarding sexual misconduct, and urges troop contributing countries to take appropriate disciplinary and other action to ensure full accountability in cases of such misconduct involving their personnel;

5. Decides that MONUC will also have the following mandate, in support of the Government of National Unity and Transition: (g) to assist in the promotion and protection of human rights, with particular attention to women, children and vulnerable persons, investigate human rights violations to put an end to impunity, and continue to cooperate with efforts to ensure that those responsible for serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law are brought to justice, while working closely with the relevant agencies of the United Nations;

12. Urges troop-contributing countries carefully to review the Secretary- General's letter of 24 March 2005 (A/59/710) and to take appropriate action to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse by their personnel in MONUC, including the conduct of pre-deployment awareness training, and to take disciplinary action and other action to ensure full accountability in cases of such misconduct involving their personnel;