International Youth Day: a campaign to raise awareness among those displaced by war on the fight against gender-based violence (CongoForum)

2023-08-13 09:33:54

GOMA – As part of International Youth Day, the non-profit organization “Media for development” organized on August 12, 2023 in Goma (North Kivu) a motorized campaign followed by a concert to raise awareness among those displaced by war from Shabindu camp in Karisimbi health zone. This campaign focused on the fight against gender-based violence in all its forms and the methods to obtain justice and urgent assistance.

The organizers used theater and dance to involve the displaced in raising awareness against gender-based violence. Satisfied with the activity, the participants promised to popularize the whole message to them throughout the camp. Madame Florence, a displaced woman, reacts: “I have understood that we must stop mutually violating each other in our daily actions and above all denounce this violence in several forms: sexual, economic, physical violence, etc. Starting today, I will be the first in my community to tell others about these messages. To the journalists of ‘Media for development’ we ask to pay particular attention to this problem which is topical in several camps of the war displaced.

The campaign organizers want to raise people’s awareness and promote support for victims. “Media for development guarantees us support for victims of violence in all its forms. Several cases of rape are ignored in this camp because the victims feel vulnerable and unable to prosecute their executioners”, specifies Daniel Lumoo, also displaced. “We feel relieved. From now on, no case of violence will pass.”

This project is funded by the Japanese government and UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. The execution was entrusted to SOFEPADI, a Congolese organization which works for the defense and promotion of women’s rights. The idea is to give hope to rape victims by providing support in every situation.

Paulin Munyagala, program manager at Media for development: “When there is war, we often see sexual violence, violence within couples, forced marriages. We must take care of these problems to hope for a better future. This means that it is necessary to sensitize the population to fight against gender-based violence for community resilience. This project wants to support the victims on the psycho-social level, in the various health centers that we have in the health zone of Karisimbi. We must accompany these people so that they do not feel neglected.

© CongoForum – redaction, 13.08.23

Images – source: CongoForum