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USAID/OTI DROC Hot Topics

October 2005

Victims of Rape Retake Control of Their Lives

In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an estimated 40,000 people were victims of rape during the country's war. Though the main conflict ended in 2003, the occurrence of rape remains high due to the large number of militias and ex-combatants in eastern DRC. Most of these women victims are not only traumatized by the rape, but also are commonly abandoned by their families and ostracized by communities. Given the DRC's harsh living conditions, separation from family and community results in a struggle to survive. The family members left behind also suffer, with one less person to care for the children and perform household chores.

Gender sensitivity is a part of the SE*CA program's approach. It is accomplished by mobilizing women to participate in the program and also through a gender and rape sensitization module in the training curriculum. The "Reaffirmation of Values" training module encourages discussion about community values and individual behavior, with a focus on erasing the stigma attached to rape. In Mengu Milipiya, near Punia town in Maniema Province, participants said that following such discussions they understood better the wrongs of the past and seemed determined to change. After the training, many husbands reconciled with wives who had been raped. A woman in Opala in Orientale Province was abducted and repeatedly raped. Her community harassed her and called her a "soldier's toy." After the training, the community began accepting her. Now, she is even involved in community activities.

Women's participation in the SE*CA training has exceeded expectations, in that the women have little spare time and are often too timid to participate in group activities. Reports from Ituri District and other training areas show that SE*CA has increased women's participation in community meetings. This is no easy feat since men discourage women from attending the sessions. But with SE*CA's intervention, women are now able to fight against rape and their exclusion from decision-making. USAID is also addressing issues of accountability for perpetrators through a justice-sector reform program and activities to help rape victims receive appropriate legal counsel and prosecute their attackers.

The Synergie d’Education Communautaire et d’Appui (SE*CA) program promotes improved stability in war-affected areas by facilitating the reintegration of war-affected youths into their communities and increasing local, regional and national understanding of issues that are key to the political transition. To support these objectives, SE*CA uses three tools: 1) a youth education and skills program to train war-affected youths in agriculture, civic education, health, conflict management, reconciliation, personal values, numeracy, and literacy; 2) a media program that supports access to information concerning issues key to the transition; and 3) an in-kind small-grants program that supports information dissemination projects and community-identified activities that are a priority for the community’s economic, political, and/or social revitalization of the community.