Army officers in DR Congo receive training in humanitarian principles

(Kinshasa: 17 May 2006): The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Child Protection Division of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have concluded in the eastern town of Bunia, Ituri Province, a training for 45 officers of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) on humanitarian principles and the protection of civilians. The officers were commanders of platoons, sections, companies and battalions.
Notably, the participants were trained on international legal instruments and norms pertaining to the involvement of children in armed forces, as well as the role of armed forces in the protection of children and women against sexual violence. During the training workshop, the participants identified opportunities for raising awareness among the troops they command, and the modalities of applying these principles in the field.

Ten humanitarian actors, based in Ituri and representing UN agencies, international and national NGOs, also received the training on humanitarian principles and the absolute necessity to abide by them, particularly in this pre-electoral period to better guarantee the neutrality and impartiality of humanitarian action.

The humanitarian community and MONUC call on the government of DRC to fulfil its responsibility in respecting the internationally established humanitarian principles and in ensuring the protection of civilian populations, including internally displaced people.

The training was held on 4 May 2006.

For more details:

Yvon Edoumou, Public Information OfficerOCHARDC, +243 81.318.6528, edoumou@un.org