Human Rights Council - 30th Regular Session
Item 10
Australian statement on Central African Republic
29 September 2015
Australia welcomes the Report of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic (CAR), following her second visit to the country.
While the report acknowledges there has been progress on the security situation in the CAR, the violence of the last few days demonstrates how volatile the situation is. This violence underlines the need for authorities to re-establish democracy and the rule of law, and to move forward on the national reconciliation agenda, with greater urgency. The recent violence notwithstanding, Australia welcomes the adoption of the Republican Pact for Peace, National Reconciliation and Reconstruction and the signing of an agreement to stop recruiting child soldiers.
We also acknowledge the importance of establishing a Special Criminal Court to investigate serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. Australia urges the CAR authorities to continue to make every effort to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Australia remains very concerned by the ongoing violence against civilians, including women and children. Australia urges the CAR authorities to make every effort to protect women and girls from sexual violence, as well as reprisals and the continued participation of women at all stages of the reconciliation process.
We ask the Independent expert how the international community could support the CAR in moving towards abolition of the death penalty.