Content_paragraphs:  The persistence of sexual and gender-based violence remained a serious
  
  concern. In 2019, 1,409 cases of conflict-related sexual violence were documented,
  
  of which 955 were attributed to armed groups. FARDC was implicated in 383 of those
  
  incidents, which represents a 76 per cent increase compared with the previous year.
  
  The deployment of troops to residential areas, without consistent remuneration and
  
  inadequate measures to protect the population from exactions, was among the factors
  
  contributing to the increase.