DRC: 'Rape capital of the world'-Amnesty calls for urgent international attention to combat sexual violence in region

As the UN’s Special Representative on sexual violence in conflict Margot Wallstrom, described the DRC as the ‘rape capital of the world’, Amnesty International echoed her call to bring the perpetrators of this violence to justice.

Amnesty International’s UK Stop Violence against Women Campaign Manager, Heather Harvey said:

“Amnesty has long documented the prolific and brutal use of sexual violence across the DRC, particularly the conflict-ridden parts. We’ve have seen how rape, sexual slavery and other forms of sexual violence are regularly used as ‘tools of war’ and how perpetrators consistently go unpunished.

“This dreadful violation of women and girls should no longer be considered an easy or acceptable tactic in the DRC’s prolonged war.

“Authorities in the DRC and internationally have persistently failed to address issues affecting survivors of rape and other forms of sexual violence. In so doing they let down not only the women who are victims of such abuses but the women's rights activists who are themselves taking action to prevent and prosecute women's human rights abuses.

“It’s time perpetrators were held to account and that more efforts are implemented by both the DRC government and the international community to seriously and urgently address this pandemic of sexual violence in the region.”