The coordination of youth, the fight against violence against women and human trafficking, with the technical support and intervention of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and funding from the US government through the USAID organized an awareness day on sexual violence and human trafficking in the sports sector of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The objective is to actively fight against these acts and to strengthen knowledge of the laws in this area.
This sensitization brought together around 70 people, including leaders of federations and clubs, around ten journalists, some renowned players and artists such as boxing champion Junior Makabu. Its aim was to strengthen prevention against acts of trafficking combined with sexual violence in sports circles and to exchange with club leaders on innovations and experiences from other countries in this area.
The “Red Card” campaign was launched in the sporting world of the DRC to say “NO” to all forms of discrimination. Sexual abuse has a negative impact not only on people’s lives, but also and above all on their spirit, their mind, and even their memory. The participants were thus sensitized so that they work together in synergy to block the road to any corruption of good morals within their respective communities.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has shown leadership in the fight against violence against women and girls. In particular, she initiated programs such as the Zero Tolerance campaign, the establishment of the transitional justice mechanism, the adoption of the Kinshasa declaration resulting from the summit of Heads of Member States of the African Union on “positive masculinity as well as the implementation of the addendum to the joint communiqué. However, the situation remains worrying insofar as investigations and journalistic investigations have revealed that trafficking activities underpinned by sexual abuse, pedophilic harassment are reported by the media and have taken on strong proportions in sports circles.
It is time for the Congolese sports community to fight effectively against all forms of sexual violence and human trafficking to offer children, girls and boys working in the sports sector, a serene and fulfilling journey in everything they do. . Similarly, it is important to strengthen controls, punish the culprits, and support the victims. The IOM accompanies victims of trafficking to protect them against the executioners by contributing to the realization of the “Red Card” campaign, which allows sportsmen and women to know what human trafficking is, how one can be a victim of it. and what to do to denounce