Margot Wallström: “Impunity reigns in the region as most perpetrators of sexual violence acts continue to walk unpunished without any repercussions for their crimes. The absence of justice has long-lasting effects on the whole society and is an impediment to restoring peace and security in the region.

However, the initial steps toward holding perpetrators accountable are encouraging. In less than a year, more than 250 trials of elements of national security forces were held with the assistance of the United Nations. In February 2011, a military court in Baraka handed down a landmark verdict that found Lt. Col. Kibibi Mutware guilty of crimes against humanity including rape. This shows that accountability for sexual violence in Congo is possible.”