COVER STORY DRCongo


Angela at DisneyLand Paris with actor husband James Milligan and their daughters Tallulah and Melissa


The medical and psychological impact of women’s rape stretches across generations


runs. Judy Anderson is the executive di- rector of Heal Africa. She grew up in the Congo but shares her time between Goma and the US. Anderson says, “Heal Africa is the strongest sign to the Congolese peo- ple that people care for them.” Te Heal Africa hospital specialises in orthopaedic and fistula repair surgery, which is needed by women who suffer a permanent tear in the vaginal and/or rectal wall, a common injury sustained by female victims of rape and gender-based violence in the Congo. Since 2003, the hospital has performed an estimated 2,000 fistula repair surgeries to help women who have been leſt inconti- nent by their attackers, and assisted over 10,000 survivors of sexual violence. Compounding the psychological trau-


ma rape victims face is rejection from their families. Heal Africa, with the help of Congolese Lawyers, created the Gender and Justice initiative to get people to re-ex- amine their attitudes towards women and challenge villages to view sexual violence as a community issue not just a women’s issue. Anderson explains: “To treat some- one medically and then send them back into the same situation is not going to change anything and their situation might get worse. So, we started working with the idea of introducing a conversation into the community to look at what’s happening, examine people’s attitudes towards [rape] and where it comes from. What are the proverbs saying from the different tribes, what does the Bible and the Qur’an say, and what does the law say?” Heal Africa is not alone in its quest to


28 | NEW AFRICAN WOMAN | WINTER 2011


“Te future of Africa is in the women’s hands. Only African women will be able to rebuild their strength and resilience, but the solidarity of women in the rest of the world is a huge supporting factor”


help bring healing to the lives of women affected by rape. Women for Women In- ternational is an NGO founded by Zainab Salbi, an Iraqi American, herself a victim of war. It has been at the forefront of help- ing women and girls in war-torn regions to rebuild their lives by providing finan- cial and emotional support, jobs, leader- ship and business skills, and educate them about their rights. It currently operates in four African countries, including the DRC. Brita Schmidt, the UK campaign and policy director, says, “Te strategic role we play is one of providing tools for women to empower themselves. We do not create dependency, we focus on independ- ence and autonomous decision-making.” Asked about the action the international community must take in the wake of recent rape sprees, Schmidt adds, “Te Congolese women are very clear and articulate about what is needed: more women involved in the peace negotiations and peacekeeping. At the same time as strengthening women’s voices, we also need to invest in their eco- nomic empowerment. Tere won’t be any


peace without development and no devel- opment without peace, and an investment in greater security for women.” Fabienne Planese, who has worked at


Heal Africa since September 2009, believes to bring about a reduction in the number of rapes, the war must end. “To stop this violence, a whole new way of thinking and change of mentality towards the value of women will have to take place if we want to experience a noticeable change,” she says. Anderson adds that to end the war requires real determination from those in power to address the situation behind the protracted war. “Te central government would have to put their life on the line. Un- less that happens at a political level, I don’t see much changing,” she says. Confronted as to who is responsible for


bringing healing to the Congolese women, Anderson says, “Te leaders need to ask, What is happening to our women and girls? What’s the future for them? Tere is a huge amount that can be done at family, com- munity and local level if people were more concerned about the future than the past. It’s time for the leaders of the different com- munities to say we can choose something different.” Schmidt adds, “Te future of Africa is in the women’s hands and only African women will be able to rebuild their strength and resilience, but the solidarity of women in the rest of the world is a huge supporting factor without which it won’t be possible.” Te indomitable strength of the African


woman is ever-present, for it is recognised that without her, Africa has no future.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100