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Glimmers of hope in the eastern Congo

Survivors of sexual violence find support through the Tupinge Ubakaji programme

August 30^th, 2016

The beautiful, lush countryside too often is the stage for an ugly crime in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is where so many tragedies have been played out, particularly in the Eastern region of the country. Out of nearly a dozen survivors interviewed, almost all were out in the fields when they were assaulted.

These testimonies were collected in Béni within the framework of the “Tupinge Ubakaji“ programme, which works to put an end to impunity for sexual violence in DRC. The programme also supports survivors by providing medical, psycho-social, legal and judicial services, while ensuring their social and economic reintegration.

The programme is implemented by UNDP and UNFPA in partnership with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

A survivor who became pregnant from her assault.

SOPHIE

Sophie* is 20 years old and married. She had gone out to the open country to collect food. “My attackers caught me by surprise, blindfolded me, and four people raped me one after the other,“ she says. A week passed before she went to Mabakanga hospital with her husband. The doctor recommended that they go to Béni to obtain better-quality services.

Once there, tests revealed an early pregnancy. Since Sophie had been spurned by her in-laws, and given that abortion is illegal in the DRC, the hospital began a mediation process to reconcile the family and encourage them to accept the child. Currently Sophie still lives with her husband, unlike so many other women in her situation who have been ostracized by their families… One glimmer of hope in an often dark predicament for rape victims.

NATHALiE

Nathalie’s life hung in the balance in February 2016. Sent out into the fields, on the road she crossed the path of the men she refers to as “bandits.” Following their attack, Nathalie was left for dead and only survived thanks to a “father who was passing by with his bike,“ she says. She didn’t go to the hospital right away, having no idea what kind of assistance that could be offered to her. An older woman pointed Nathalie toward a legal clinic where she could get advice and follow-up services as a victim of sexual violence. Nathalie was unable to identify her attackers, but a complaint was filed. Today, pregnant by one of the assailants, she refuses to give up. Her goal, with the support of the programme, is to receive training and find a job to provide for her child.

Between 2014 and 2016, 762 survivors of sexual violence have received medical care, and 507 have received psychosocial assistance. Treatment and service have been offered for 42 cases of fistula and 471 early pregnancies.

MARIE

Hope is also a possibility for Marie, who is 14 years old. Admitted early in the morning at Béni hospital after being assaulted the night before, she underwent surgery immediately. She remained in hospital 12 days, during which time she received comprehensive medical services.

Marie returns regularly to the hospital for therapy sessions with the aim of and putting the attack behind her and rebuilding her self-confidence. Today, thanks to an organization known as ACOPE, which works with the programme, Mary has found a job and is coping financially. She plans to go back to school in the near future.

With support from project partner UNFPA, doctors and nurses have been trained to care for victims of sexual violence.

SYLVIE

Sylvie was raped by someone she knew - a neighbour, whom she was helping out in the fields. After administering emergency care, the staff at Oicha hospital suggested she go to their legal clinic. The hospital is in fact equipped with a “one stop centre”, a comprehensive care facility where victims of sexual violence can get health care along with legal and psycho-social support.

“I was able to go from Oicha to Béni first for my hearing and then to confront my attacker. The legal clinic covered all the costs. In Béni, the legal fees for my appearance at the prosecutor’s office were covered by the Great Lakes NGO,” Sylvie says. Today the rapist is serving a sentence of eight years’ imprisonment.

The Oicha hospital is one of three hospitals hosting "one-stop" centres for survivors of sexual violence.

EVE

“After I was assaulted, I was taken to the Oicha General Hospital where I took the HIV kit test. Then an NGO known as PPSP stepped in to help me get back on my feet,“ says Eve.

The NGO awarded her US$60 as start-up capital. “With this money, I was able to buy cans of fuel, flour, sugar and open a small business,“ Eve explains. With her earnings, she is sending her child to school, providing care and a good diet. “All of these activities have helped me to put things behind me, because after I got assaulted, I wasn’t myself anymore,“ she says.

In the future, Eve wants to earn enough money to buy a plot of land. “In the eyes of others, we no longer have the same value because of the assault we suffered, and that is why it is so important for me to have my very own plot of land where I can live with my child,“ she explains.

Since January 2016, 23 judgements have been issued in sexual violence cases.

From January to May 2016, 23 judgements were handed down in sexual violence cases.

The “Tupinge Ubakaji“ joint programme is an initiative funded by the Canadian Cooperation authorities. With a budget of 18 million Canadian dollars, the five-year programme (2013-2017) is focused on achieving lasting reductions in the prevalence of sexual violence in DRC. Implementation of the programme was entrusted to UNDP and UNFPA with support from the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office in the DRC (UNJHRO) and UNESCO in three provinces: North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri.

*All names have been changed.

Footnotes

Text and photos by Fatou Tandiang/UNDP DRC

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FootNotes

Text and photos by Fatou Tandiang/UNDP DRC

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Glimmers of hope in the eastern Congo

Survivors of sexual violence find support through the Tupinge Ubakaji programme

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