Support Survivors of Gender-based Violence
In some communities in Congo, 2 of 3 women have been raped—with impunity. One brave lawyer decided that had to change.
Her name is Claudine Tsongo, and she and six other women attorneys founded the Dynamique des Femmes Juristes, the Women Lawyers’ Movement. ECI is been proud to support their pioneering work. Since partnering justice has been secured for over 2,000 survivors of sexual assault.
Founder Claudine Tsongo on right.
Photo: Andy Karl
Women holding land titles.
Photo: John Achiza Mushaga
A woman applauds at a DFJ info session.
Photo: Andy Karl
Story Highlight: A Woman’s Right to Land
This past year we worked with Nobel peace prize winner Dr. Denis Mukwege and his team at Panzi hospital along with HEAL Africa. They work with survivors of gender-based violence-taking a holistic approach in healing, including psychosocial and legal support. They saw many survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) losing all access to their farmland.
Like the U.S., many people view a woman as being partially responsible for attacks, and many women lose their husbands and support networks. When they are divorced, by custom, the man retains the rights to the family land; however, this is not the law.
We worked with Panzi to create the first of its kind program to educate all women, but with a focus on survivors, of their rights within the law. But educating someone on the law wasn’t sufficient since there had never been a case of someone receiving legal title.
ECI engaged with La Dynamique des Femmes Juristes, a coalition of female lawyers who care deeply about safety and protection issues for women and offer services at no charge for women and girls who are survivors of violence.
The total program cost $75,000 and served over 500 women. For the first time in Congolese history, over 45 survivors of sexual violence came away with legal protection for their farmland.
The cost to develop and deliver the training was $8.10 per participant. In the upcoming years, we’ll be able to reduce that cost in order to scale this program across more areas of Congo.
This taken from an interview with Product Manager, Tad Lunden in Forbes. Click here for the full article.
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All donations to ECI are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Tax ID number: 45-4103655. All donations will be used for the most urgent needs of ECI, Asili, and the communities we serve.