Bunia: The United Nations Joint Human Rights Office in Ituri (BCNUDH) and PARJE “Uhaki safi” organized on 20 August, a conference on “the role of sound forensic evidence in the fight against impunity for sex and gender based violence”.

More than 35 participants, journalists, NGO representatives, bar associations and National police staff members were welcomed by MONUSCO to participate in discussions with Kahindo Matale, Bukavu Deputy Public Prosecutor and Doctor Ngunalosa, Chief of the Health Technical Support Office in Ituri. The objective of the forum was to improve forensic evidence gathering on sexual violence during judiciary procedures.

Deputy public prosecutor, Kahindo Matale legal cases should first be referred to magistrate in order to gather the judiciary evidence as soon as possible and launch judiciary procedure. Doctor Ngunalos, for his part, explained the importance of quickly gathering evidence, say within 72 hours. They say Ituri province now has officials able to gather forensic evidence in the following towns: Mambasa, Komanda, Tchomia and Bunia, as a result of the capacity-building workshop intended for 10 clinical physicians.

The conference facilitated discussions between the different stakeholders around assistance to the victims of sexual violence and provided additional opportunity to fight impunity for sexual violence in Ituri.

Anne HERRMANN