WOMEN of the CONGO

What started as a discussion among five friends has grown into a mini-movement, centering around a fund-raising event to bring first-hand knowledge of the situation to our friends, families, and colleagues. Funding for efforts to aid the remains disproportionate to the enormity of need. Our “Women of the Congo” event on June 12^th, 2008 raised money for two worthy projects that are currently underway.

The first is the City of Joy, near Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, a safe house for survivors of sexual violence who cannot return to their families and communities. Located at the epicenter of Congo ’s rape epidemic, this joint effort between V-Day (the global movement to stop violence against women and girls) and UNICEF will focus on healing trauma, building self-esteem and empowering and educating the victims.  The City of Joy is a pilot program, which could lead to the establishment of similar safe houses in other war-torn areas of DRC.

The second group we have targeted is Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF), an international non-governmental organization of lawyers and legal professionals whose principal aim is to protect the rights of societies most vulnerable groups and individuals. In the frame of its larger effort to end impunity for grave human rights violations in Congo, ASF provides victims of sexual violence with free legal aid to support them in their struggle for justice before the local courts. In addition, ASF also works with locals, prosecutors and the judiciary to increase awareness of how the law can help to break this cycle of violence.

 www.thegreatestsilence.org

 Get Educated.  Find out about the history of the war, the rape crisis and the current state of the country.  Read some recent headlines.

Watch a Film. The award-winning documentary film The Greatest Silence:Rape in the Congo directed by Lisa F. Jackson, has been used by nongovernmental organizations internationally and locally as a tool to advocate on the problem of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and to accelerate actions to end the violence perpetrated against women and girls. The film examines the conflict from the perspective of the victims who are most affected, and captures the testimony of other actors involved (the UN Mission to the DRC, local human rights advocates, and the militias committing the rape and other atrocities).

Spread the word. Anyone with passion and initiative can support a cause and make a difference.  Talk to your friends and family about why this crisis moves you.

Join us on June 12, 2008 at our "Women of the Congo" event to be held at Cipriani 23rd Street.