The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
The Congo is located in Central Africa and is northeast of Angola and its capital is Kinshasa. The DRC gained its independence from Belgium in 1960. It is slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US. The countries that border the Congo are Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. The population in the DRC is 68,692,542. Life expectancy is 54 years.
Political Situation Overview:
Men, women, and children are trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor. This trafficking occurs within the DRC’s eastern provinces by armed groups outside of government control. The DRC is one of the biggest producers of cannabis used for domestic consumption but also is shipped outside the country. Corruption is rampant and the banking system is vulnerable to money laundering.
Position of Women in DRC
Women in the DRC have not attained fully equality with men. Custom and legal constraints limit opportunities for women. Adult women are considered legitimate if they are wives, widows, or the elderly. A growing number of women hold professional roles but they remain underrepresented in the formal work force, in higher level positions and earn less than males in a similar role. Women are legally subservient to men. For example, a woman must have her husband’s permission to open a bank account or accept a job. Women have sought work in other non professional areas such as firewood gathering, water hauling, and child care.
Issue of Gender Based Violence
A CARE survey in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Maniema province found that the majority of women and health professionals view the long-standing armed conflict as the primary cause of the vast majority of rape cases. CARE has documented that in southern Maniema, the number of rape survivors seeking family planning services in 2006 was over five times higher on average in areas with a significant militia or army presence than in areas with no armed forces. Seeking justice is an almost impossible challenge for survivors of sexual violence in the DRC. Judges are paid irregularly if at all and serve enormous geographic areas, much of which is impossible to access given the poor state of the country’s roads. The police and the prison system are similarly overstretched. In the areas “justice” does reach, verdicts often go in favor of the person with the most money or political sway.
Frustrated by the system, families resort to consulting traditional chiefs who are often uninformed of the existing laws regarding violence against women and girls. The scenario for women seeking medical help is also bleak. There is a lack of resources such as hospitals, experienced doctors, and psychological counseling. Horrific injuries resulting from sexual violence often go untreated, leading to further medical complications down the road. It is increasingly evident that, while levels of sexual violence in some of the more stable regions has fallen below the levels seen during active conflict, current levels still far exceed those present before the war. There is evidence that sexual violence committed by civilians is now on the rise, indicating a disturbing trend towards the inculcation of this type violence into the wider culture.
Issue of Sexual Reproductive Health
After four decades of war and conflict, the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC) has scarce infrastructure and few public health services. Females have limited access to quality health care resulting in high maternal and infant mortality rates. Family planning and other basic services are limited. Obstetric and traumatic fistula is a common problem for the women in the DRC.
Obstetric fistula occurs when the baby dies and the mother is left with chronic incontinence resulting in isolation from family and community life and abandonment by male partners. Without surgical repair a women's prospects for work or family support is diminished and she must rely on charity. If there is traumatic fistula which is caused by rape or sexual violence then there is increased psychological trauma and increased vulnerability to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
