Universal Periodic Review Working Group – 19th Session
Universal Periodic Review of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Statement by Australia
29 April 2014
Australia commends the DRC armed forces’ progress in ending the recruitment of child soldiers. But we remain concerned about the prevalence of child labour, particularly in illegal mines. Australia recommends that the DRC take all measures to eliminate child labour and illegal mining.
Australia remains alarmed by the scale of sexual and gender based violence in the DRC and by the very low number of convictions. Australia recommends that all police and military receive gender-sensitive human rights education and that all perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence be tried, regardless of rank.
Australia is concerned that since the DRC ratified the Convention against Torture only twelve convictions have been recorded. Australia recommends that all perpetrators of torture be tried, regardless of rank.
Australia welcomes the DRC’s 11 year moratorium on executions, but recommends that the DRC remove the death penalty from its criminal statutes and ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Recalling Australia’s recommendation from the DRC’s last Review, we again recommend that the DRC implement the Rome Statute into domestic law.