23/11/2012
Violence has escalated in the ongoing conflict between the Congolese Army and armed rebel groups in the Eastern province of North Kivu in DRC.
CARE teams are reporting a significant rise in rapes and violence however many cases cannot be reported and treated due to the deteriorating security for humanitarian workers. Fear and violence reigns in many parts of Eastern Congo and women and girls carry the biggest burden. While looking for firewood and water, they are in constant danger of being attacked, raped and even killed by different armed groups.
Victims have no means of bringing their cases to justice, and widespread impunity makes it nearly impossible to follow up on cases. Data collection is very difficult, but reports from CARE field staff and partners show a rising number of cases especially in those areas that have experienced armed clashes and as a consequence, large movements or people trying to seek refuge from the violence.
As a global leader in women’s empowerment, CARE is supporting survivors of sexual and gender-based violence by providing women with medical care, psychosocial counseling as well as much needed resources to get their lives back on track by providing access to village savings and loans associations.
It is important to also change attitudes of men and women who see violence as acceptable. Women’s empowerment is the sum of changes needed for a woman to realise her human rights. To CARE, an empowered woman makes important household decisions, has control over income, makes decisions about her body, participates in her community and lives a life free from violence,’ Dr Newton-Howes said.