CAR: UN Independent Expert launches mission to assess critical human rights situation in the country

GENEVA / BANGUI (2 February 2018) - The UN Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic, Marie-Thérèse Keita Bocoum, will visit the Central African Republic (CAR) from 6 to 16 February 2018.
The Independent Expert has taken note of the progress made by CAR in the human rights area in 2017. She intends to take this opportunity to encourage the continued efforts of the Central African authorities and civil society, supported by multilateral initiatives, regional and bilateral.

Ms. Keita Bocoum plans to assess the impact of peace and reconciliation actions on human rights, and to identify the challenges for the year 2018, particularly in the fight against impunity and transitional justice.

The visit comes against the backdrop of unabated serious violations of international human rights law and abuses of international humanitarian law in the country, which continue to tarnish efforts to protect civilians and assist victims.
During her 10-day mission to Bangui and within the country, Ms. Keita Bocoum will meet with government, legislative and judicial authorities, civil society and victims' associations, non-governmental organizations, the diplomatic corps and the United Nations.

A high-level interactive dialogue on the CAR will be organized during the next session of the UN Human Rights Council in March 2018. This dialogue requested by the Council will bring together the Central African Government, the Central African civil society, the African Union and MINUSCA, in the presence of the Independent Expert.

ENDS

The mandate of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic was established by the Council of Human Rights on 27 September 2013. Ms. Marie-Thérèse Keita Bocoum, a former professor at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, held various positions both in Côte d’Ivoire and in the UN. She was Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burundi, Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to UNOWA, as well as Director of the Division of Human Rights and the Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Darfur.

The Independent Experts are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

UN Human Rights, country page: Central African Republic

For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Bangui (during the visit): Rosalie Billault (Cell: +41 79-444-3940 / rbillault@ohchr.org) or write to ie-car@ohchr.org 

You can access this media advisory online

This year, 2018, is the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN on 10 December 1948. The Universal Declaration – translated into a world record 500 languages – is rooted in the principle that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” It remains relevant to everyone, every day. In honour of the 70thanniversary of this extraordinarily influential document, and to prevent its vital principles from being eroded, we are urging people everywhere to Stand Up for Human Rights: www.standup4humanrights.org.

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