UN Action sent an Advisor to the CAR where CRSV was perpetrated by all sides to the conflict. The advisor undertook a situational analysis and advised on how the network could provide strategic support to the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA) and the wider UN system. The deployed Adviser concluded that most of the UN’s programmes, including the Peacebuilding Commission’s Strategic Framework, the disarmament demobilisation and reintegration programme, and inputs to legal reforms were largely gender-blind. She advised UN entities responsible for leading these programmes to reassess their approaches and provided support to the Government on revising laws pertaining to protecting women from violence. This allowed UN Action to assist BINUCA in developing a strategy to guide the UN’s response to CRSV in CAR. 

With catalytic funding for a Women Protection Advisor (WPA) and the development of a results-based work plan, this project helped strengthen the capacity of BINUCA to address CRSV in the CAR, in close collaboration with the UN Country Team (UNCT). It also contributed to strengthening the ability of the UNCT and relevant mission components to implement the Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Arrangements (MARA). Finally, linked to the signing of the Joint Communiqué in 2012 between CAR and the SRSG-SVC Zainab Hawa Bangura on behalf of the UN, the WPA worked to enhance dialogue with parties to conflict to secure compliance with commitments to prevent and address CRSV. BINUCA included a WPA in its core budget, helping to ensure technical capacity and resources would be committed to CRSV in a sustainable way within the Mission. 

The project contributed to the capacity building of government institutions and of other stakeholders, including community leaders, to prevent and respond to GBV in CAR. An international consultant supported the finalisation of the National Strategy to Combat GBV, Child Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation and its action plan. Secondly, challenges regarding data collection and analysis were addressed through capacity building of GBV Information Management System (GBVIMS) users and introductory sessions dedicated for non-users of the GBVIMS. The government has begun a process of institutionalizing GBVIMS.