Supporting survivors of SGBV in the DR Congo
Thanks to SCIAF's WEE BOX, BIG CHANGE appeal in 2020, we have been able to support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Within the community, we have also worked on SGBV prevention.
The DR Congo's incredible mineral wealth has fueled decades of conflict, bloodshed and instability with sexual violence being used as a weapon of war. Millions of civilians have been killed and hundreds of thousands of women and girls have been attacked, left traumatised and in urgent need of help. Many of these women have also suffered physical, emotional, psychological, and financial abuse.
Extreme poverty, harmful gender norms, domestic violence, and alcoholism add further challenges for women and girls in the DR Congo. Women are denied their rights, choices and control over their own lives.
In 2020, SCIAF's WEE BOX, BIG CHANGE appeal raised over £2.6m, including £1.2m of matched funding from the UK government. The matched funding was used for a three-year project that supported survivors of SGBV. Through local partners, this project strenghthened womens' self esteem, health, and financial situation.
Our local partners in DR Congo include Centre OLAME, BDOM, AJV, CDJP Bukavu.
people improved their health, finances, gender equality status, and access to justice
healthcare workers received training including doctors, nurses, and psychosocial counsellors
children received birth certificates for the first time
Mona's experience
Through our project, Mona, a survivor of SGBV, received psychological support and joined a saving and loans group so she could access money.
Mona said:
"Going through the counselling and being a member of the finance group has really changed my life because now I am able to feed my family.
"I no longer live in trauma. Thanks to SCIAF’s support I no longer see myself as disabled because you have become my two legs.”
SGBV survivors were supported to take their attackers to court
girls and boys were given training to protect women against violence
psychosocial assistants were trained in counselling, trauma, stress management and first aid
Over the course of the project, we worked with nearly 9000 people. 94% of people we helped say their life had been improved overall.
Transformative change
Women and girls who suffered from SGBV were supported with medical relief and trauma counselling, to help them recover from and process the appalling things that had happened to them.
Women who were subjected to these brutal acts were supported to access the criminal justice system - with more than 150 women taking their attackers to court.
The project also allowed children born of rape to help secure a birth certificate. This means that these children can now take their rightful place in the community. With a birth certificate, they have access to education and healthcare and a better chance at living a full life.
Through our partners, we also worked with a small number of male survivors of violence, who are highly stigmatised in their communities, providing short-term relief and psychosocial counselling.
Prevention and changing attitudes
Another important aspect of the project was SGBV prevention. For society to truly improve, harmful practices and attitudes need to change, and women need to feel valued by all within their community; women and girls need to feel both equal and empowered.
This project trained men and women to become role models in their society. The workshops included faith leaders, young people, and community figures like police chiefs. Issues like gender equality and positive masculinity were at the crux of these discussions; events promoted International Women's Day and encouraged couples to share household responsibilies.
The life-changing work at the Centre Olame Bukavu
Thérèse is the Director of Centre Olame Bukavu, a Catholic Women’s Organisation, supported by SCIAF that provides psychological support to women who have endured unimaginable crimes.
Thérèse spoke to us about her life-changing work:
"Because of the wars, there were so many people affected by the trauma caused by conflict and sexual violence. My job was to go to villages, raise awareness and bring people to hospital and trauma centres and to listen to them. Often women who had experienced rape were not able to talk about the trauma they had endured. Many took to self-harm and became heavily tormented. So we worked with them, listened to them, helped them rebuild their lives.
"I decided to bring women together so they could share their stories and grow together. They were all able to learn with each other and help each other, and together they made incredible progress."
Supported by the UK government
Towards gender justice in the DR Congo
Listen to Louise, SCIAF Programme Officer, and Thérèse, from SCIAF partner organisation Centre Olame, on The UK Aid Match podcast discussing SCIAF's UK Aid Match funded project in the DR Congo.
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