Women United Against Sexual Violence in Armed Conflicts
POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, PEACE AND SECURITY
COUNTRY/TOWN: Democratic Republic of the Congo /
LENGTH: 2023 - 2024
In progress
The prevalence of sexual violence in armed conflicts is particularly dramatic in Africa. The general objective of this project is to find solutions for the prevention and fight against sexual violence. The specific objectives are to make visible the work that women’s organizations are doing to address this violence in three African countries: DRC, Mali and Central African Republic (CAR), as well as to identify possible strategies to tackle these crimes.
The project will be developed in the DRC, the ground zero of sexual violence in armed conflicts. The scope of the project will be extended to two other scenarios of sexual violence: Mali and Central African Republic. These three countries have been chosen because the Women for Africa Foundation has been working in all three, with women’s organizations, in different areas related to Women, Peace and Security.
Sexual violence in armed conflict is a plague that must be eradicated. However, every year, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Reports highlight how difficult it is to prevent, investigate and punish these crimes. Seventy percent of the perpetrators identified in these reports are recalcitrant. In other words, they have been on the list for more than five years. The fight against sexual violence is one of the pillars of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda of the United Nations Security Council.
Today, international humanitarian law, international criminal law and international human rights law have interacted to form an express and clear prohibition of crimes related to sexual violence, which may constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture or components of genocide. There is already an extensive body of jurisprudence, which has been shaped by the pronouncements of international criminal tribunals and regional human rights courts.
Although the norm is clear, the fact remains that sexual violence continues to be used as a tactic of war. Crimes of this nature have recently been reported in Ukraine, but they already existed in many other theaters of war: Sudan, Somalia, Myanmar, Mali, CAR, DRC, Nigeria, etc.
Women’s organizations (activists) active in each of these scenarios, play a central role in relation to documenting, investigating and denouncing these crimes, as well as assisting survivors. The Women for Africa Foundation has seen this first-hand through our work with these organizations in Mali, CAR, DRC and Sudan.
We believe it is essential to give visibility and highlight the relevant work they are doing, as well as to facilitate the exchange of good practices and lessons learned among the leaders of these organizations and their respective teams.
Recognizing the importance of women-led mediation to end violence in DRC conflict zones, during 2023-2024 the Women for Africa Foundation worked intensively with the Pélagie Foundation to sensitize communities , government and military actors, exchange and document experiences, and with UNAOC through a joint initiative: Women’s Alliance for Peace, on various training programs to strengthen the role of some fifty women as mediators in three regions of the country and promote networking with other women mediators in countries such as Mali and the Central African Republic.
Within the framework of the project “Women united against sexual violence in armed conflicts”, led by the Women for Africa Foundation and the Pélagie Muhigirwa Foundation “FPM” (based in the DRC) and financed by the Basque Agency for Cooperation, 40 African women leaders met in the city of Bukavu and then in Kinshasa in 2023 to, on the one hand, follow a training on negotiation, mediation and personal development and, on the other hand, exchange experiences between African women from the three countries involved in the project (Mali, CAR, DRC) on situations of conflict and violence and the actions and visibility of women’s organizations in their respective countries. This exercise then enabled them to work together to define concrete actions to be undertaken, in line with existing agendas and resolutions, in particular the “Women, Peace and Security” Agenda of the UN Security Council.
International Congress: “Conflict Mediation and Peacebuilding: Strengthening the Role of Women”
Held in Kinshasa on July 16-17, 2024, with the support of UNAOC.
The international congress addressed crucial issues related to the role of women mediators in conflict resolution, the fight against violence, disarmament and peacebuilding. Women mediators rebuild the social fabric destroyed by decades of conflict, making mediation a key instrument, especially through women. This conference presented the experiences gathered in the DRC during the period 2023-2024, as well as the relevance of the work carried out in other countries such as Mali and CAR, in addition to the DRC, in the framework of the collaboration between the Women for Africa Foundation and UNAoC, with the Alliance of Women for Peace.
Women’s organizations play an essential role in documenting, investigating and denouncing crimes, as well as in assisting survivors. This calls for urgent action and international initiatives for disarmament, and to clearly and decisively value and strengthen the role of women mediators, starting at the community level but taking into account the importance of women’s presence at all levels of mediation. The Congress recognized that the inclusion of women as mediators in conflict resolution and the fight against violence against women in armed conflict are pillars of the UN Security Council’s “Women, Peace and Security” Agenda. Participants therefore examined the links between these realities, focusing on what women have to say as protagonists and agents in the fight against violence and in peace building, but also as victims of violence.
An effective fight against violence requires a collective commitment and an unwavering will for social and cultural change, as well as a profound reflection on gender dynamics in relation to the role of women as agents of peace. During the congress, concrete and sustainable measures for peace, for working with and protecting women were discussed.
Brochure of the congress (in French) (PDF)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZjOdj3OvV0
WOMEN MEDIATORS FOR PEACE
Caddy Adzuba
Caddy Adzuba is a prominent Congolese journalist and lawyer, internationally recognized for her tireless work in the defense of human rights and the fight against sexual violence in conflict zones. Born in Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Caddy has dedicated her life to giving a voice to the victims of gender-based violence, especially in a country devastated by years of war. As a journalist, she has used the media to denounce the atrocities committed in her country and to sensitize the world to the use of rape as a weapon of war. Her courage and commitment have earned her several international awards, including the prestigious Prince of Asturias Award for Concord in 2014.
Because of her in-depth knowledge of the field, her experience in defending women’s rights and her dedication to peace, Caddy Adzuba was the perfect person to coordinate the “Women United Against Sexual Violence in Armed Conflicts” project.
Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang
Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang, former Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia is a great friend of the Foundation and one of the African women leaders we work with in the area “Women, Peace and Security”. Ms. Tambajang traveled to Kinshasa to discuss with the women mediators who have been part of the project “Women United Against Sexual Violence in Armed Conflicts”. In this video she reviews the congress and gives us some clues on how to continue working for peace in the continent.
Annie Matundu Mbambi, better known as Mama 1325
Annie Matundu Mbambi, affectionately known as “Mama 1325,” is a leading figure in the battle for women’s rights and peace in Africa. Her nickname comes from her tireless outreach and advocacy for United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, adopted in 2000. This landmark resolution underscores the crucial importance of women’s participation in conflict prevention and resolution, as well as in peace processes, recognizing the disproportionate impact that wars have on women and the need for their inclusion at all levels of decision-making.
Annie Matundu is a gender and development consultant and an activist with more than 30 years of experience advocating for women’s rights. Her work has focused on ensuring that women’s voices are heard, and their rights are protected in conflict and post-conflict contexts. As president of the Congolese section of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), Annie has been instrumental in the implementation and monitoring of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In addition, Annie is the author of “Glossary 1325 of the United Nations Security Council and Related Resolutions of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda”. This glossary is a tool that facilitates the understanding and interpretation of the legal texts that make up the agenda, providing activists, mediators and policy makers with a crucial resource to protect women from multiple forms of violence. Her dedication has been key to sensitizing communities and strengthening women’s participation in peacebuilding, making “Mama 1325” a nickname that encapsulates her commitment to justice and gender equity.
Belinda Mongolare: Ethnic conflicts linked to land ownership.
Belinda Mongolare is a journalist and mediator in Tanganyika, a region in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where ethnic conflicts over land ownership have deeply marked the lives of its inhabitants. This type of conflict, often ignored by the international community, is rooted in the long-standing marginalization of the Twa, one of the main ethnic groups known as Pygmies in Central Africa.
In Tanganyika, the struggle for land is much more than a simple territorial dispute; it is the result of decades of systematic exclusion and discrimination against the Twa, who have historically been marginalized from local decision-making and deprived of fair access to resources. This marginalization has generated growing tensions between the Twa and the Bantu, the majority ethnic group, leading to violent clashes and massive displacements of people.
Belinda Mongolare, with her dual role as journalist and mediator, works tirelessly to make these conflicts visible and promote peace in her region. Through her journalistic work, she exposes inter-ethnic issues and brings the voices of the different ethnic groups to a wider audience. As a mediator, she facilitates dialogues between warring communities, seeking solutions that respect the rights of all and promote peaceful coexistence.
Emmanuelle Vasikya: sexual violence in Goma’s camps
According to the latest report by MSF, 1 in 10 young women is a victim of sexual violence in the IDP camps around Goma, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This alarming figure reflects an even grimmer reality: sexual violence in these camps is just one manifestation of the extreme vulnerability of women and girls who have fled their homes due to the conflict.
Emmanuella Vasikya, a mediator in these camps, faces this harsh reality on a daily basis. Displacement camps, which should be safe spaces, have become places of constant danger, especially for women. Many families have spent years in overcrowded conditions, living in tents of just a few square meters, with the increasingly remote hope of one day returning to their homes.
Lack of access to basic hygiene products is another critical aspect of this crisis. Women lack intimate hygiene products, which not only affects their physical health, but also their dignity and emotional well-being. In addition, they put themselves in danger every time they leave the IDP camp and go into the forest to look for firewood.
Through her testimony, Emmanuella helps us to better understand the complex and devastating situation faced by women in eastern DRC. Her work as a mediator involves not only providing support to the victims, but also fighting to improve living conditions in the camps, advocating for greater access to essential resources and protection for these women.
Coura Diarra: a multifaceted conflict in Mali
The Foundation has been working for years with women in Mali, a country that has been in crisis for more than ten years due to multiple factors, including ethnic clashes, territorial fragmentation and the rise of jihadist groups. Since 2012, Mali has experienced an escalation of violence, with the insurgency of radical Islamist groups that have destabilized large parts of the country, particularly in the north and center. These groups have taken advantage of ethnic tensions and the weakness of the state to expand their control, resulting in an increasingly dire humanitarian situation.
In addition, Mali is at a political crossroads following its exit from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its subsequent formation of the Alliance of Sahel States alongside Niger and Burkina Faso. This new alliance has been formed in response to perceived foreign interference and the desire of these countries to take control of their own security and political future. The creation of this alliance reflects the complex situation in the Sahel region, where insecurity, extremism and lack of state cohesion remain major challenges.
In this context, mediation has become an essential tool to rebuild social cohesion and promote stability. Coura Diarra is a mediator and works tirelessly to ensure the active participation of women at all levels of peacebuilding and peace consolidation processes. Her work is crucial in a country where women, despite being severely affected by the conflict, are often excluded from the negotiation and decision-making tables. Coura and other mediators are opening spaces for women’s voices to be heard, contributing significantly to efforts to restore peace and stability in Mali.
Nathalie Nakabunda, Peace Mediator in the DRC
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), rape is not just an act of violence; it is a devastating tactic used to dismantle entire communities. As a weapon of war, it seeks to sow terror, displacement, and destruction of the social fabric.
Nathalie Vumilia Nakabunda, a university professor and mediator in Bukavu, in eastern DRC, shares her firsthand experience with us. In this video, Nathalie reveals how war impacts women and how she fights every day for sexual disarmament in her region.
Nathalie is one of the women mediators we work with on the project “Women United Against Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict,” thanks to funding from eLankidetza.
Julienne Baseke, Journalist and Women’s Rights Activist in Bukavu, DRC
Julienne Baseke is a journalist and women’s rights activist in Bukavu, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
She is the coordinator of AFEM, the Association of Women in Media in her country, founder and director of Mama Radio, a radio project that has given a voice to women in the region, in addition to acting as a peace mediator.
In this interview, Julienne talks about how journalists play a crucial role in detecting cases of sexual violence used as a weapon of war, risking their safety to give voice to victims. Her work involves not only exposing these realities but also raising awareness among the public and the international community, pressing for action to put an end to this scourge.