The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today considered the sixth periodic report of the Central African Republic, with Committee Experts praising the State’s efforts to combat harmful traditional practices, and raising questions about sexual violence against women in the conflict and children’s access to education.
One Committee Expert welcomed harsher penalties for female genital mutilation and gender-based violence, and the establishment of the committee combatting harmful traditional practices.
The Expert, however, said that sexual violence was increasingly used as a weapon of war. What measures were in place to bring perpetrators of such violations to justice and provide support of victims? How would women and girls be included in the process of developing policies to combat gender-based violence?
Hilary Gbedemah, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for the Central African Republic, said children did not have free access to education across the country. Their access was hindered by the occupation of schools in armed conflict contexts, the recruitment of children, and the use of children in the mining industry. How was the State party addressing these challenges and improving the quality of education in the State?
Introducing the report, Marthe Kirimat, Minister for the Promotion of Gender and the Protection of Women, the Family and Children of the Central African Republic and head of the delegation, said the Central African Republic had experienced years of conflict that had led to political, socio-economic and cultural upheavals, with serious consequences for women and girls. The report expressed the commitment of the Government to work to improve the rights of women and girls.
Ms. Kirimat said that female genital mutilation affected 21.6 per cent of women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49, and 60 per cent of women aged 20 to 24 were married or in a relationship before the age of 15 or 18. The delegation said the State party was currently drafting a national strategy to combat female genital mutilation and child marriage in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund. A draft law on sexual harassment had been developed that would strengthen measures to prevent such harassment.
On sexual violence against women in the conflict, the delegation said the Special Criminal Court heard cases of violence against women committed during the conflict. The minimum punishment for such offences was 10 years imprisonment. There was training and awareness raising carried out for security forces on violence against women. Many women captured by armed groups had been released following interventions from the United Nations mission in the country.
Ms. Kirimat noted that the ratio of girls to boys in school was low at all levels of education; 75.1 per cent of women were illiterate, compared with 52.6 per cent of men. Multisectoral committees had been set up to holistically address problems related to education, the delegation said. There was a project in place supporting the introduction of 1,500 new teachers into the education system. A programme was in place to restore the conditions of schools in zones affected by the conflict. Mechanisms were being set up to ensure that school was free and compulsory for all children in the State.
In closing remarks, Ms. Kirimat said the dialogue had been extremely constructive. The President of the Republic paid great attention to eradicating all forms of discrimination against women. The Central African Republic had difficulties with managing data and disseminating policies, and had financial constraints hampering implementation of policies. Ms. Kirimat called for the international community to pay particular attention to these constraints and support the Government to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women in the State.
In her concluding remarks, Ana Peláez Narváez, Committee Chair, said that the dialogue had allowed the Committee to better understand the situation of women and girls in the Central African Republic. The Committee commended the State party for its efforts and encouraged it to address the Committee’s recommendations to better implement the Convention for the benefit of all women and girls in the country.
The delegation of the Central African Republic consisted of representatives of the Ministry for the Promotion of Gender and the Protection of Women, the Family and Children; Ministry of Justice, Promotion of Human Rights and Good Governance; and civil society.
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’s eighty-seventh session is being held from 29 January to 16 February. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.
The Committee will next meet at 5 p.m. on Friday, 16 February to adopt concluding observations on the reports of the Central African Republic, Djibouti, Greece, Italy, Niger, Oman, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, that were reviewed during its eighty-seventh session, and close the session.
Report
The Committee has before it the sixth periodic report of the Central African Republic (CEDAW/C/CAF/6).
Presentation of Report
MARTHE KIRIMAT, Minister for the Promotion of Gender and the Protection of Women, the Family and Children of the Central African Republic and head of the delegation, said the report expressed the commitment of the Government not only to work to improve the rights of women and girls, but also to keep its commitments to the international community. The Central African Republic had experienced years of conflict that had led to political, socio-economic and cultural upheavals, with serious consequences for women and girls, the main victims of these recurrent crises. Since his accession to the Supreme Magistracy, the President of the Republic had included the issue of gender, and women’s and girls’ rights as one of the priority areas of his actions in favour of the Central African populations.
The Government had compiled a list of discriminatory laws and provisions on which actions had been taken to revise and draft new regulations. The amended 2023 Constitution promoted gender equality and the involvement of women in decision-making bodies. Law 16.004 of 2016 instituted parity between men and women in public and private jobs; it had a monitoring and evaluation mechanism, the National Observatory for Parity. The Penal Code was revised to increase certain penalties related to gender-based violence and to implement measures to combat discrimination. The law on sexual harassment made it possible to reduce the phenomenon. Decree 15.007 of 2015 created a Joint Unit for Rapid Intervention and Repression of Violence against Women and Children.
To protect women’s rights, the Ministry for the Promotion of Gender and the Protection of Women, the Family and Children was created. The Ministry of Humanitarian Action, Solidarity and National Reconciliation defined and implemented policies, programmes and projects relating to humanitarian support for displaced persons and refugees, including women and children. The Ministry of Communication implemented awareness raising campaigns fighting against inequalities and violence against women. The Commission on Population, Gender, Development, Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law examined issues relating to the rights of women and minorities.
Among the policies initiated by the Government were the national policy for the promotion of gender equality and equity; the family policy and its plan of action; the national strategy to combat gender-based violence, harmful practices and child marriage; the strategy for the socio-economic empowerment of women and girls; the strategy for involving men in the fight against gender-based violence; the communication strategy for behaviour change; and the national action plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 and related resolutions. Projects to combat gender inequalities, discrimination against women and gender-based violence were also in place, including the human capital for the empowerment of women and girls project and the holistic care programme for victims of gender-based violence.
Gender-based discrimination was particularly entrenched in the education sector, where the ratio of girls to boys in school was significantly lower at all levels of education. Over the period 2018-2019, there were respectively about eight girls in the primary cycle and six girls in the secondary cycle per every 10 boys; 75.1 per cent of women were illiterate, compared with 52.6 per cent of men. Women accounted for 19 per cent of seats in the National Assembly. Sixty per cent of women aged 20 to 24 were married or in a relationship before the age of 15 or 18. Female genital mutilation affected 21.6 per cent of women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49; and 80 per cent of women and 84 per cent of men had accepting attitudes towards domestic violence. The Gender Inequality Index, calculated at 0.680 in 2019, placed the Republic at 159th out of 162 countries. More than 80 per cent of women worked in the informal sector, particularly in the rural economy and petty trade.
The Government was preparing a national development plan for the period 2024-2028. Part of this was the national human rights policy, a strategic framework with an important women’s rights component. The policy had a five-year action plan and a budget for the implementation of actions in favour of women and girls in all sectors. Legislative texts and programmes to implement the policy were being devised. The strong political will and commitment of the President to advance the cause of women’s rights remained the basis for the implementation of the Convention. Ms. Kirimat called on the international community to continue to support the Central African Republic in its socio-economic empowerment, gender equality and gender-based violence programmes.
Questions by Committee Experts
HILARY GBEDEMAH, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for the Central African Republic, said the Central African Republic had demonstrated openness in its opening statement. The State was rich in natural resources. It faced conflicts and serious obstacles, but these could be tackled if the State’s resources were appropriately harnessed. Empowering women was an important step on the pathway to recovery and development. Two-thirds of the territory was occupied by armed groups, undermining the Government’s ability to protect the rights of its citizens. The new Constitution was commendable but did not include sex as grounds for discrimination. The Committee welcomed the Government’s efforts to cooperate with international and regional human rights mechanisms. What was the timeline for the ratification of the Maputo Protocol?
What steps had been taken to sensitise the judiciary regarding women’s rights? The truth, justice and reconciliation programme was welcome. Had it been accompanied by an appropriate budget? The national recovery and peacebuilding plan had been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. How was the State party tackling budgetary restraints to this programme? How many times had the Convention been cited in courts? Some provisions of the Convention had been integrated into domestic laws, but not all. What challenges prevented the remaining provisions from being implemented and how would these be tackled?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Central African Republic was facing significant financial difficulties that had hindered the implementation of the national recovery and peacebuilding plan. The Government had launched a national council on the promotion and protection of women. The State implemented a monist legal system. When an international instrument was ratified by the Republic, it automatically applied domestically. The State party was adapting its criminal legislation to criminalise spousal rape and bring perpetrators to justice. The truth, justice and reconciliation commission had developed an action plan and was discharging its functions with the support of the international community. The Republic had adopted a comprehensive human rights policy, which addressed obstacles to women and girls accessing their rights. Capacity building for judges, civil society organizations and State agents on the human rights policy had been carried out. The State party would consider ratifying the Maputo Protocol. Actions had been taken to implement the provisions of the Protocol. Discriminatory provisions in the Family Code had been revised, such as provisions giving only men the right to choose family dwellings. The prevention of gender-based violence was addressed in the revised Code.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert welcomed the State party’s efforts to strengthen institutions for women and amend discriminatory legislation. What percentage of the national budget was allocated to the national gender machinery? How did the machinery coordinate policies for women? Did it have the budget and capacity to monitor the implementation of the Convention? How were women’s views captured in the national security agenda, and how was gender integrated into development plans? What was the status of the implementation plan on the women, peace and security agenda? What roles did women, peace and security networks play in addressing issues such as forced displacement? What progress had been made in implementing the bill on the National Human Rights Commission? How would this institution cooperate with the national women’s machinery? Was there linkage between the national action plan on women, peace and security and overall security priorities?
HILARY GBEDEMAH, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for the Central African Republic, asked when the National Human Rights Commission would be brought in line with the Paris Principles, and when gender elements would be added to its mandate. There was low representation of women in political bodies, the judiciary and the foreign service. Did the State party intend to implement temporary special measures to address this? What achievements had the Parity Act made? How did the State party monitor the implementation of the Parity Act? Were temporary special measures known and understood by the public?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said activities for women were currently financed by the State on an ad-hoc basis, but the State party was moving to programme-based budgeting for gender matters. The State party was currently drafting a third iteration of the national action plan on women, peace and security. It also had a national plan for security and safety that included a plan for gender safety. The State party was developing measures for addressing obstacles to women in the police and defence sectors. The upcoming programme for women, peace and security would have an appropriate budget.
The National Human Rights Commission was being established. It aimed to obtain status “A” under the Paris Principles.
Political parties currently had a 35 per cent quota for women, and the State party aimed to achieve parity within political parties within 10 years. There was a waiver for the 35 per cent quota if there were not enough women candidates, however. An electoral list system would soon be implemented to improve women’s representation. There was a lack of female candidates for judiciary positions.
Questions by Committee Experts
One Committee Expert said that discriminatory stereotypes of women and girls made women likely to suffer in armed conflict situations. The Government needed to make more efforts to tackle these stereotypes. The Committee welcomed harsher penalties for female genital mutilation and gender-based violence, and the establishment of the committee combatting harmful traditional practices. What efforts were being made to tackle stereotypes that influenced the practice of female genital mutilation? How many people had been prosecuted for performing female genital mutilation?
When did the State party intend to amend the Penal Code to prohibit accusing women of witchcraft? What support measures were provided to such women? Sexual violence and early marriages were exacerbated by the conflict; 68 per cent of girls were married before the age of 18. Had the strategy to prevent gender-based violence and early marriages been assessed? What was the timeline for criminalising marital rape? Sexual violence was increasingly used as a weapon of war. What measures were in place to bring perpetrators of such violations to justice and provide support of victims? How would women and girls be included in the process of developing policies to combat gender-based violence?
A Committee Expert said the State party had made history with the appointment of a woman President. The 35 per cent quota women’s participation established by the parity law had been removed with the withdrawal of the law. Were there plans to reinstate the law? Civic space shrunk for women during the recent conflict. Women involved in politics were targeted because of their gender. Were there plans to introduce legislation preventing violence against women in politics? When would the next elections be held? Would financial and other support be provided for women candidates? How many women were on the Special Criminal Court? What efforts would be made to prosecute wartime abuse of women? There was a body pushing for better representation of women in leadership positions that had developed an innovative directory promoting such representation. How was the directory being implemented? Was there a pipeline for women’s representation in the foreign service?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said women had paid a heavy price in armed conflicts. The country had drafted a national strategy to combat harmful traditional practices and gender-based violence. The State party was currently drafting a national strategy to combat female genital mutilation and child marriage, specifically in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund. The rate of child marriage and female genital mutilation had fallen thanks to awareness raising campaigns, but it was important to continue to work to eradicate these practices. A draft law on sexual harassment had been developed that would strengthen measures to prevent such harassment.
The judicial system was currently functional across most of the country. The Special Criminal Court heard cases of violence against women committed during the conflict. The minimum punishment for such offences was 10 years imprisonment. Security had improved across the country somewhat after political agreements signed in recent years. Many armed groups had been dismantled. Security had returned to 90 per cent of the country and cases of violence had fallen. There was training and awareness raising carried out for security forces on violence against women. Many women captured by armed groups had been released following interventions from the United Nations mission in the country.
The Central African Republic’s current Minister of Foreign Affairs was a woman and there had previously been a woman Prime Minister and President. The State party was working to encourage women to participate in the political process. Cases of violence against women that occurred during the most recent election period took place in the context of widespread insecurity. The State party had developed a strategy for promoting women’s representation in Parliament. A security plan for elections was being implemented and hotlines for reporting cases of violence against women were in place. A law on funding for political parties was being drafted. It included provisions on public funding for female candidates. Legal provisions requiring electoral candidates to be property owners had been abolished to promote women’s participation. The Special Criminal Court had four women judges. The law protecting women from violence was comprehensive. A specific law addressing political violence against women would require further analysis. Victims of electoral violence against women benefitted from State support.
Questions by Committee Experts
HILARY GBEDEMAH, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for the Central African Republic, said the Committee commended the laws and policies adopted to address trafficking in persons, including the law on trafficking in persons and the action plan on combatting trafficking. How had women been involved in drafting trafficking laws? Did the national women’s machinery have a role in this regard? Some children as young as 12 years were reportedly forced to work in prostitution. How was the State party addressing the root causes of sexual exploitation and trafficking? How did the State party ensure that trafficking victims were identified and adequate punishments were implemented for perpetrators? Were there child friendly reintegration programmes for victims of trafficking engaged in prostitution? What training was offered to medical staff and police who dealt with victims of trafficking?
Ms. Gbedemah welcomed efforts to promote girls’ participation in education, including preschool and higher education. Children did not have free access to education across the country. Their access was hindered by the occupation of schools in armed conflict contexts, the recruitment of children, and the use of children to work in mines. How was the State party addressing these challenges and improving the quality of education in the State? How would the State mobilise resources to rebuild schools, hire more teachers, and establish hygiene facilities for girls in schools? What measures were in place to address the disproportionate impact of conflicts on girls’ education? How were education facilities being developed to accommodate children with disabilities? Was there a law prohibiting the occupation of schools? Was the State party providing digital technologies to allow children in remote areas to participate in education?
A Committee Expert said that corporal punishment reportedly was still permitted in schools. Had there been any legal reforms to ban corporal punishment in schools?
One Committee Expert welcomed that the State party had ratified the Convention on Statelessness and commended efforts taken to promote birth registration and eradicate statelessness. What progress had been achieved in improving birth registration for internally displaced persons and refugees, especially women and girls? What data was available on birth registrations and the provision of travel documents? Would the law on nationality be amended to allow Central African Republic women to transfer their nationality to foreign husbands?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that a national strategy and decentralised mechanisms had been put into place to combat trafficking in persons. Focal points on trafficking had been established within ministries. There was a National Institute for Rapid Response to Trafficking that worked to identify victims and provide them with support. Standards for victims’ assistance had recently been adopted. After the adoption of the law on human trafficking, a special prosecutor and judges were appointed to address cases of trafficking. The State party had been a party to the Convention on Transnational and Organised Crime since 2004 and the United Nations had supported the implementation of the State party’s national action plan on combatting trafficking in persons. A mechanism for collecting data on human trafficking was being developed. Structures providing care for victims of trafficking had been established.
Birth registration was a challenge in the context of protracted conflicts, which led to the destruction of archives. The Family Code established a deadline of six months for registering births. After the deadline had passed, births could be registered through courts. Roaming courthouses worked to promote birth registration in rural areas. Nationality was typically transferred in marriages from husbands to wives, but a working group had been set up to reform the Nationality Code to bring it in line with international instruments. The Government had undertaken awareness raising campaigns encouraging national minorities to register the births of their children.
Multisectoral committees had been set up to holistically address problems related to education. There was a project in place supporting the introduction of 1,500 new teachers into the education system. There was also State funding for free nursery care. A programme was in place to restore the conditions of schools in zones affected by conflict. The State party was also working to incorporate teaching on gender into the curriculum from a young age. Mechanisms were being set up to ensure that school was free and compulsory for all children in the State, as legislation guaranteed.
Committees preventing violence against girls were working to keep girls in school. A programme had been set up to provide school meals in rural areas and another programme provided study grants to girls in secondary and higher education. A training plan for teachers had also been devised. The Central African Republic did not have the necessary electricity infrastructure to provide digital technologies in schools in most rural areas, although such technologies had been implemented in three schools with solar powered electricity. Corporal punishment was prohibited in schools and perpetrators were punished.
Questions by a Committee Expert
One Committee Expert said 58.7 per cent of women were living below the poverty line. The Government did not effectively enforce the law prohibiting workplace sexual harassment. Discrimination against women occurred in all sectors of the economy. Women worked for 52 hours per week on average, above the recommended 40 hours. How many overtime violations had been reported and investigated? The Labour Code had been amended to address gender stereotyping in the workforce. How was it being implemented? How was the State party fighting gender gaps in the labour sector? Were there timelines for implementing International Labour Organization conventions on workplace harassment and women’s rights?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that the Labour Code guaranteed equal renumeration for equal work, as well as a minimum wage, including for the domestic work sector. The National Assembly was currently considering the draft law on sexual harassment. The labour law included provisions addressing workplace discrimination. There were no regulations governing overtime work. There was a lack of data on the labour sector.
Questions by Committee Experts
One Committee Expert said a 2017 to 2027 plan addressed the rehabilitation of health care facilities. How many facilities had been rebuilt under this plan? Only 18 per cent of women received prenatal care. How had recent health policies contributed to reducing maternal mortality? Some 88.7 per cent of girls reportedly did not use contraception. What measures were in place to increase the use of contraception? Abortions were permitted in the case of rape, but many women continued to resort to clandestine abortions. How was the State party ensuring that women who received abortions and the doctors who performed abortions were not punished? The prevalence of HIV was reportedly 18 per cent. What actions would be taken to strengthen protection from HIV country wide? How would the State ensure that women who were raped in conflict situations received comprehensive care? Was there a health insurance system that targeted women and girls with disabilities?
Another Committee Expert said that illiteracy was a major factor hindering women’s access to formal employment, making them vulnerable to various forms of exploitation. Were there programmes in place that promoted women’s economic empowerment? Were there specific programmes promoting the economic and food security of internally displaced women and girls? How many women were registered under the current social security programme? A revised policy on social security for self-employed persons was currently being drafted. What was the timeframe for the implementation of this policy? Would it be accompanied by an awareness raising campaign targeting women in urban and rural areas? Were women involved in the Higher Authority for Good Governance? Was there a gender analysis component to monitoring of the State’s economic policies?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the maternal mortality rate was around 800 per 100,000 births. There had been a significant drop in this rate. Contraception was provided to women and girls for free. The Minister of Justice was disseminating information on the law on HIV/AIDS to children from primary school age. The national strategy for combatting gender-based violence included a programme on care for HIV/AIDS patients. Each ministry had budgets for awareness raising on HIV/AIDS. A group of doctors provided abortions to women who had been raped. The law was being reformed so persons who obtained abortions would no longer be punished under the Criminal Code. Abortions needed to be carried out in a hospital environment.
The State party had several programmes working to ensure women’s economic empowerment, including a programme promoting women’s leadership, a programme for training woman entrepreneurs, a programme for developing a bank for women, and a programme supporting women’s access to land. Around 90 per cent of informal sector workers were women, while 22 per cent of employees of private businesses in the formal sector were women. There was a Director General on Literacy within the Ministry of Education who was overseeing programmes promoting increased literacy. The State party was trying to mainstream gender in policies on agriculture and trade and policies supporting small and medium enterprises.
The draft social protection policy was currently being assessed and it would be implemented soon. The policy was being updated to provide additional assistance to persons with disabilities and other vulnerable persons. Eight of the 19 members of the Higher Authority for Good Governance were women. There was a programme in place that supported former refugees to resettle in the country and regain their land.
Questions by Committee Experts
One Committee Expert said an International Criminal Court investigation had revealed hundreds of rape victims in the State. Would the State consider creating a repository of these stories? Hundreds of women and girls had reported being sexually abused by United Nations peacekeepers. How did the State party support women survivors?
How did the State hold companies in extractive industries accountable for violations of the land rights of rural women? Did women affected by disasters and climate change have access to legal aid for cases involving their access to water and land? How would the State party ensure women’s access to land ownership, including after the dissolution of marriage?
Another Committee Expert welcomed steps taken to eliminate discrimination in marriage and family relations, including the ongoing revision of the Family Code. When would the revised Code be adopted? The age of marriage was 18 years and there was no discrimination in the Code between children born out of wedlock and within wedlock. However, the marriage of persons under the age of 18 was possible with exceptional authorisation; 68 per cent of girls were reportedly married before the age of 18 and 29 per cent of girls before the age of 15. Forced marriages were very common in certain communities. Would the State party further revise the Family Code to eliminate provisions allowing for child marriage? What actions had the Government taken to eliminate forced and child marriages? Did ex-wives and children have access to alimony? How was the State working to strengthen the capacities of key institutions and the formal and informal justice systems to make them more gender sensitive? Did traditional leaders receive training on women’s rights, gender equality and empowerment? How was the State party ensuring that children born out of wedlock had equal access to inheritance in practice?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said safeguarding memory after a conflict was important. The truth, justice and reconciliation commission was responsible for recording testimonies of what had happened in the conflict. Members of United Nations missions who committed sexual abuse were taken out of missions and held accountable in their countries of origin. All victims received holistic support from the State.
Local authorities provided oversight of mining companies’ activities. Many companies’ permits had been withdrawn for not abiding by the rules of extraction contracts. Profits from mining projects were shared with local populations. The State party would consider supporting access to justice for victims of natural disasters and climate change. There was no discrimination in the provision of land to women, including following the dissolution of marriages, when shared goods were split equally between men and women. Legislation had been reformed to allow for land and real estate purchased by couples to be issued under the names of both men and women.
Provisions allowing for the marriage of children when they fell pregnant had been abolished. Incest was strictly punished. Further revision of the Family Code was currently being conducted. It would likely be assessed by the National Assembly this year. There was a national strategy to ensure the protection of the family. The Government was carrying out awareness raising campaigns about the strategy, which would address polygamy and harmful cultural practices, and target traditional leaders.
The State party had drafted a strategy to combat child marriage. The Child Protection Code prohibited child marriages without exception. Alimony was collected by the judicial system and transmitted directly to mothers. Children born in and out of wedlock had equal access to inheritance.
Concluding Remarks
MARTHE KIRIMAT, Minister for the Promotion of Gender and the Protection of Women, the Family and Children of the Central African Republic and head of the delegation, said the dialogue had been extremely constructive. The President of the Republic paid great attention to eradicating all forms of discrimination against women. The Central African Republic had difficulties with managing data and disseminating policies, and had financial constraints hampering the implementation of policies. Ms. Kirimat called for the international community to pay particular attention to these constraints and support the Government to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women in the State.
ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Chair, said that the dialogue had allowed the Committee to better understand the situation of women and girls in the Central African Republic. The Committee commended the State party for its efforts and encouraged it to address the Committee’s recommendations to better implement the Convention for the benefit of all women and girls in the country.
Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the information media; not an official record.
English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.
