S/2017/249 assaults by elements of the Malian Defence and Security Forces, a case of sexual violence by members of the Mouvement pour l’unicité et le jihad en Afrique de l’Ouest, and another by the Mouvement national pour la libération de l’Azawad. 48. Efforts were made to engage the parties in 2016. In April, my Special Representative visited Mali to assess the situation and agree on a joint communiqué with the Government as a basis for cooperation in addressing sexual violence. The joint communiqué has not yet been agreed by the authorities. However, on 30 June, the President of the Plateforme des mouvements du 14 juin 2014 d’ Alger signed a unilateral communiqué in which he committed to work with the leaders of the Coordination des mouvements et forces patriotiques de résistance, Mouvement arabe de l’Azawad and the Groupe d’autodéfense Touaregs Imghad et leurs alliés to accelerate efforts to prevent and punish sexual violence within their ranks. 49. Resistance to changing traditional practices continues to hamper efforts to criminalize all forms of sexual and gender-based violence. The Government has therefore worked with the United Nations to conduct sensitization sessions with religious leaders, prompting some to commit publicly to supporting new laws and to speaking out against sexual violence. Support provided by MINUSMA to the Ministry of Justice has led to the investigation of a number of alleged rapes. Nonetheless, progress remains slow in relation to cases of sexual violence committed by extremist groups in 2012, with just 37 of the 80 victims having been heard by a magistrate. Initiatives by the Peacebuilding Fund have enhanced confidence in the justice system, resulting in an increase in the cases of sexual violence that are brought to court in Gao and Timbuktu from just 1 per cent to almost 14 per cent. The Fund has supported the establishment of cases de la paix (peace huts) in northern Mali, which provide safe havens where survivors can receive psychosocial and medical support. In 2016, MINUSMA initiated several projects to facilitate the economic reintegration of survivors, including quick impact projects to impart income-generating skills. Recommendation 50. I urge the Government of Mali to adopt legislation prohibiting all forms of sexual violence; to ensure the timely investigation of cases, the protection of victims, witnesses and their families, the vetting of past perpetrators from the armed and security forces; and to sign a joint communiqué with my Special Representative to enable a more structured response. Myanmar 51. Sexual violence continues to be underreported in Myanmar owing to entrenched discrimination, fear of retaliation, limited access to services, and a lack of trust and confidence in the police and judicial system. Barriers to accountability are even greater when sexual violence is committed by members of the national security forces. On 9 October 2016, operations were launched in Northern Rakhine State in response to attacks against border guard police in the regio n, with numerous allegations of human rights violations, including sexual violence, reported against the Rohingyas (an ethnic Muslim minority) by the Myanmar Armed Forces (the Tatmadaw), the Border Guard Police Force, and the Police Force of Myanmar. An estimated 66,000 civilians have fled to Bangladesh following the operations. On the 17-05090 15/33