Oppression represents unconscious action on a collective level.

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Eastern Congo

BACKGROUND
For more than a decade, the war in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has raged unabated. To date, the conflict has left nearly 5.4 million dead and 2 million displaced. Armed groups roam the countryside and patrol the roadways, looting, raping and killing civilians. The state institutions that exist are largely predatory, and rampant corruption makes a mockery of law and justice. Despite numerous peace negotiations, democratic elections in 2006, and over 20,000 s UN peacekeeping forces to monitor the ceasefire, the violence continues.

Sexual violence has been an integral part of the conflict. Tens of thousands of women in Eastern DRC, from babies to the elderly, have been systematically raped, mutilated and tortured by armed groups on all sides. The Congolese army, militia groups, international peacekeeping forces, and increasingly civilians are responsible for the violence. No discernable pattern can explain the attacks as women from all ethnic groups and regions are targeted. A report by UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Dr. Yakin Erturk, calls the violence "beyond rape," documenting numerous cases of forced incest, sexual slavery, and cannibalism. The real number of victims remains unknown, as many women living in rural communities are inaccessible but the number is believed to be in the tens of thousands.

GLOBAL GRASSROOTS AND EASTERN DRC
In 2008, Global Grassroots staff in Rwanda traveled to Eastern Congo over the course of one year to document on film and photography the sexual violence crisis unfolding. You can access our educational resources in the sidebar to the right.

Though we do not currently have programs ongoing in DRC, we remain eager to work with women survivors once their protection and security is established and the region begins rebuilding from the conflict.


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