### A historic partnership: towards a rebirth of victims’ rights in the DRC
On April 3, 2025, at the Congo Hotel river, a significant moment for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) scored: the signing of a partnership between the National Repairs Fund for Victims of Sexual Violence related to Conflicts (Fonarev) and the United Nations system. This ambitious link could well initiate a decisive turn in the protection and restoration of victims’ rights in the disaster provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.
#### Zoom on the humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC
Before exploring the details of this program, the tragic table that presided over this initiative should be traced. The east of the DRC was a catalyst for an interminable cycle of violence, exacerbated by the presence of multiple armed groups, including the M23 AFC, whose support proven by the Rwandan army raises complex questions at regional and international levels.
According to the Humanitarian Affairs Coordination Office (OCHA), more than 5.5 million Congolese are currently moved by violence, and around 26 million people need humanitarian assistance. Sexual violence is a tragedy added to this crisis, revealing an urgent need for a systemic response, hence the increased importance of this partnership with the UN.
### The four pillars of the joint program: a global vision
This partnership is structured around four key pillars, each aimed at sending crucial aspects of the victims’ reconstruction journey.
1. ** Documentation and identification of victims **: The creation of a centralized database on crimes committed will not only make it possible to draw up an inventory of atrocities, but also to establish a community mechanism to prevent other violations. In parallel, the secure report of reporting offers an avenue for the victims, traditionally reduced to silence.
2. ** Access to justice **: With the support given to legal clinics and the establishment of devices allowing access to justice, the program is part of an intention to make justice not only accessible, but also effective. The protection of victims and witnesses represents a double issue: it is a question of guaranteeing security while encouraging more people to break the cycle of silence.
3. ** Repair **: The holistic vision proposed is to be greeted. By integrating medical care and psychosocial assistance, the program recognizes that the repair goes far beyond financial compensation. It is a process of rehabilitation and social reintegration.
4. ** Institutional strengthening **: It is essential to build resilient institutions. Transparency and efficiency are the keys to a successful implementation. This component embodies the ambition not only to respond to current crises, but also to perpetuate advances for the future.
### The impact of financing and collaboration
With a budget of just over $ 12 million for a year, it is sensitive to emphasize that this amount must be considered an initial investment. If the program succeeds in establishing solid foundations, it could be subject to subsequent funding to guarantee its sustainability. In comparison, similarly funded, although generously funded initiatives have often failed in the long term due to a lack of follow -up and adaptability.
A crucial point to approach is the need for sustained and diversified international commitment. The DRC has often been the scene of agreements which, although promising on paper, have not resulted in tangible changes. The success of this partnership will reside in the desire of local, regional and international actors to dive hands into the cuddly.
### final reflection: a call to action
The signature ceremony was marked by poignant testimonies, which underlines that this program is not a simple bureaucratic formality, but a real attempt to give a voice to those who have long been silenced. In reality, each of us, as a citizen of the world, has a role to play in the empowerment of governments and organizations involved, while standing alongside the victims.
It leads us to question: what will our reaction be in the face of this opportunity? As a company, should we be content to passively attending the fight for justice, or, as advocated by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa, act collectively to guarantee that this time, commitments are translated into concrete and lasting transformations?
This agreement is more than a simple promise; It sounds like an appeal for action for a future where human rights are finally respected and protected in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
### Benjamin Kapajika / Fatshimetrie.org