Fatshimetrie, October 06, 2024 – The tragic reality of displaced women and girls, victims of war in the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, highlights shocking and inhumane practices. These women, having fled the atrocities of the M23 supported by Rwanda, find themselves subjected to forced sexuality, forced into prostitution to ensure their survival and that of their families. A chilling testimony to the misery and desolation that reign in these conflict zones.
The Organization for the Defense of the Rights of Women and Children (ODH) is sounding the alarm on this epidemic of survival sex that is raging among war displaced women. Unscrupulous men exploit the vulnerability of these women by offering them meager sums of money in exchange for sexual favors. A despicable practice that dehumanizes these innocent and vulnerable victims.
Claudine Serutoke Neema, coordinator of the non-profit organization “Conseil pour la protection et la promotion de la femme et de l’enfant (CPPFE)”, vehemently denounces these abuses perpetrated against displaced women. The latter, forced to give in to pressure to provide even a meal for their children, fall into a vicious circle of dependency and despair.
To counter this terrible reality, it is imperative to provide adequate support to these displaced women and girls. The establishment of income-generating activities (IGAs) appears to be a viable solution to empower them and remove them from this spiral of misery and exploitation. It is crucial that the government and humanitarian organizations actively engage in the creation of small businesses and employment opportunities for these displaced women, in order to restore their hope and dignity.
Beyond the immediate consequences such as early pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, these practices of sexual exploitation seriously compromise the future of these women and their communities. Urgent action is needed to break this cycle of violence and precariousness that hinders them and deprives them of their humanity.
In conclusion, the fight against the sexual exploitation of women displaced by war represents a moral and humanitarian imperative. It is our duty to protect these vulnerable women, to offer them tangible support and to accompany them towards a better future, where dignity and respect for their fundamental rights must prevail. The time for inaction is over, it is time to act.