Author: Communication Unit of the Network of Women Leaders for Development (RFLD)
RFLD is a sub-Saharan African organization with expertise in working with state actors, the media and civil society organizations. We intervene through advocacy, policy development and training, integrating gender and promoting civic space, women’s rights, climate justice and women’s economic rights.
Secretariat email: admin@rflgd.org
For decades, gender-based violence (GBV) has been recognized as a phenomenon reflecting the unequal power relations between men and women, leading to domination and discrimination often exercised by the former over the latter. In particular, such violence hinders the advancement of women and infringes their fundamental freedoms. It partially or totally prevents victims, who are often only partially protected, from enjoying their rights. In Africa, and in the Central African Republic in particular, gender-based violence is one of the most virulent realities, and one of the main social factors behind the subordination of one group of people to another. It is also sexist violence, since it is orchestrated against a person because of their sex and the way they are viewed by society, culture or religion. It is rooted in inequality between men and women throughout Africa. The 30-article Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), often described as the universal declaration of women’s rights, explicitly defines the various forms of discrimination against women in Article 4, and proposes national policy guidelines for combating them. In the Central African Republic, as elsewhere, violence based on socio-cultural disparities between men and women, and on the distribution and roles assigned to them in particular, is commonplace. Indeed, it is mainly directed against women and girls. An unfortunate reality that runs counter to the gender equality advocated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent instruments ratified by the country. This situation is a major obstacle to the country’s economic and social development, and consequently to peace.
What is the current situation?
In the Central African Republic, violence against women is fuelled by the differential socialization of boys and girls. From a very early age, young girls are taught to tolerate and sometimes even accept that domestic violence is inevitable and must be accepted as such. In other words, stereotypes and social norms are at the root of the cases of violence recorded in the country. In many parts of the country, particularly in the north, gender-based violence reflects inequalities and disparities between men and women, which have their origins in a social system based on patriarchy. This system creates and perpetuates negative social prejudices and stereotypes towards women. Central Africa is still marked by tenacious socio-cultural burdens and harmful traditional practices, contributing to an increase in cases of violence against women in communities. Analysis of data collected on the prevalence of GBV has shown that around 65% of women in the country have suffered gender-based violence. The most common form of violence is psychological-emotional in the form of physical abuse. Most of the research carried out in 2018 in this sense showed that almost 50% of sexual violence is recorded on girls under 16 and 60% on minors aged 18. In 2021 nearly 11592 cases of gender-based violence were perpetrated, an increase of 26% on 2020. According to statistical data from the Gender-Based Violence Information Management System, collected from dedicated services, the reality of GBV in Central Africa is worrying.
Around 722,000 people are displaced within the country every year, with some 256,000 cases of spontaneous repatriation. More than 50% of these internally displaced persons are women and adolescents, tired of living in conditions that do little to protect their rights. Female genital mutilation and accusations of witchcraft against women have been added to the cases of violence. The annual report for 2021 shows 11,592 cases of gender-based violence, an increase of 26% on 2020. The overall number of FGM survivors of gender-based violence are girls and women who have one or more types of GBV is estimated at over 95%.
Perspective on GBV in the Central African Republic
It is a matter of great concern that the various factors that lead to GBV put girls and women at greater risk, notably forced and early marriages for economic reasons, domestic violence, rape and sexual abuse. Analysis of this situation shows the country’s challenges in identifying effective prevention strategies to be applied, and in addressing the holistic management of reported incidents. In terms of data analysis, it is clear that CAR must work to harmonize and strengthen the capacities of all those involved in the fight against GBV. In order to improve results, awareness-raising campaigns need to be strengthened by involving new organizations. In the fight against all forms of violence, the main difficulty lies in the principle of submission. According to Central African society, women owe obedience and submission to men, and any means of enforcing this hierarchy are accepted by society and accepted by women. In this case, violence is seen as the moral response to a refusal of obedience. There are notable gaps in the country’s legislation on marriage, hence the recurrence of child marriages. As an ideal, then, the authorities need to strengthen the judicial system by introducing penalties commensurate with the crime committed. The fight against violence in any form is vital, not only for the survival of the victims, but also for the development of a better society, a free society in which everyone contributes freely to their full potential.
