Our Voices Matter (Democratic Republic of the Congo) - Video

Our Voices Matter features interviews with women victims/survivors of rape and other forms of sexual violence from North Kivu, South Kivu, and Province Orientale, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). "Through their testimonies, this advocacy film highlights the multiplicity of perpetrators operating in DRC, the lack of accountability for these crimes, and the medical services, psychosocial assistance and economic support urgently needed by victims/survivors. The interviews were conducted by six local women's rights advocates who are partners of the Women's Initiatives. Our Voices Matter is a call to action to the Congolese Government to provide victims/survivors with the necessary medical and economic assistance, ensure domestic accountability for perpetrators, and increase their cooperation with the ICC. The film also calls upon the international community to support initiatives to prevent these crimes in the DRC, ensure the protection of women and girls and support ICC [International Criminal Court] prosecutions. Our Voices Matter is a part of a larger video advocacy initiative launched in 2010 between the Women's Initiatives for Gender Justice and WITNESS in which more than 30 partners of the Women’s Initiatives have been trained in video advocacy. The project will produce six gender justice films highlighting sexual and gender-based violence and other gender issues in armed conflicts, fragile states and post-conflict environments."