	Overview

Civilians in Africa's conflict zones—particularly women and children, but also men—are often vulnerable to sexual violence, including rape, sexual assault, mutilation, forced prostitution, sexual slavery, and other abuses. Some incidences appear to be opportunistic, the product of a larger breakdown in the rule of law and social order that may occur amid conflict. In other cases, sexual violence has also been employed by combatant groups as a strategic tool. Such acts have been particularly prevalent in eastern DRC, where security forces, rebel organizations, militias, and other armed groups have inflicted sexual violence upon the civilian population on a massive scale. Congressional Activities

In recent years, Congress has demonstrated an interest in drawing attention to sexual violence in conflict zones, including through legislation, hearings, and other activities. In addition, several pieces of draft legislation were introduced during the 111 th Congress on the overlapping issues of international violence against women and sexual violence in conflict zones. These include H.Res. 1676 (Carnahan); H.R. 5121 (Clarke); S. 2982 (Kerry); H.R. 4594 (Delahunt); H.Res. 931 (Carson); and H.J.Res. 10 (Jackson-Lee). At least one piece of related draft legislation has been introduced during the 112 th Congress: on January 7, 2011, H.J.Res. 12 (Jackson Lee), on international gender-based violence, was introduced in the House. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act ( P.L. 111-203 , July 21, 2010) includes an provision on "conflict minerals" that references reported links between illicit mining activities and high levels of sexual and gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Among other provisions, it also requires the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to develop and submit to Congress a strategy "to address the linkages between human rights abuses, armed groups, mining of conflict minerals, and commercial products," and requires the U.S. Comptroller General to submit to Congress a report that includes "an assessment of the rate of sexual- and gender-based violence in war-torn areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and adjoining countries." Survivors of sexual violence are often shunned by spouses, their families, and their communities, as are the children born to women who have been raped. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Melanne Verveer, the Obama Administration's Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, have spearheaded the Administration's public efforts through multiple statements, official travel, writings, and actions at the United Nations. Global AIDS Coordinator; and the Office of Global Women's Issues (GWI). Other departments that support programs include the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Justice (DOJ). U.S. Policy Responses

The State Department characterizes DRC as a "priority focus" for U.S. efforts to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls. Outlook and Issues for Congress

Many observers have praised the Obama Administration for its attention to the issue of sexual violence in African conflicts. The U.S. response to sexual violence in African conflicts tends to be fragmented among many different agencies and implementers, often with reportedly little collaboration, cooperation, or coordination in design or implementation.
Civilians in Africa's conflict zones—particularly women and children, but also men—are often vulnerable to sexual violence, including rape, assault, mutilation, and sexual slavery. This violence is carried out by a range of actors, including government security forces, rebel groups, militias, and criminal organizations. Some abuses appear to be opportunistic, the product of a larger breakdown in the rule of law and social order that may occur amid conflict. In other cases, attacks appear to be carried out systematically by combatants as a strategic tool to intimidate and humiliate civilian populations.
While such abuses are by no means limited to Africa, weak institutions in many African states can mean that victims have little redress. In addition to health and psychological consequences, survivors are also often shunned by their families and communities. Within Africa, the issue of sexual violence in conflict has been particularly prevalent in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where security forces, rebel organizations, militias, and other armed groups have inflicted sexual violence upon the civilian population on a massive scale. This report provides a detailed case study of DRC and an overview of the U.S. strategy to counter sexual violence there.
The issue of sexual violence in conflict is complex, with implications for international programs and policies related to health, humanitarian relief, global women's issues, the justice sector, the security sector, and multilateral activities. Multiple U.S. government agencies and implementing partners contribute to efforts to prevent and respond to sexual violence in African conflicts, including the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department of Justice, and the Department of Defense, among others. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Melanne Verveer, the Obama Administration's Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, have taken the lead on the Administration's initiative to address the issue and have focused attention through speeches, official travel, public remarks, writings, and actions at the United Nations. Still, concerns remain among some analysts that programmatic responses to the issue have lacked coordination between donors and among implementers.
Potential issues for Congress include the authorization and appropriation of targeted assistance programs and oversight of Administration policies and participation in multilateral activities. The 111th Congress repeatedly expressed interest in bringing attention to the issue of sexual violence in African conflicts and support for programs to address it through legislation, hearings, and other congressional actions. Related legislation introduced during the 111th Congress included H.Res. 1676 (Carnahan); H.R. 5121 (Clarke); S. 2982 (Kerry); H.R. 4594 (Delahunt); H.Res. 931 (Carson); and H.J.Res. 10 (Jackson-Lee). The "conflict minerals" amendment to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 4173, passed into law on July 21, 2010, as P.L. 111-203), which is expected to lead to new regulations for U.S. companies that rely on certain minerals mined in central Africa, references reported links between illicit mining activities and high levels of sexual and gender-based violence in DRC. On January 7, 2011, H.J.Res. 12 (Jackson Lee), on international gender-based violence, was introduced in the House. For further background, see CRS Report RL34438, International Violence Against Women: U.S. Response and Policy Issues, coordinated by [author name scrubbed].