USAID's Work Addressing and Preventing Gender-Based Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo
(August 2012) On Aug. 8, 2012, Sara Rasmussen-Tall, USAID’s Social Protection Unit Leader in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), presented at a Brown Bag organized by the IGWG Gender-Based Violence Task Force on the challenges and successes encountered in her work providing support to DRC’s survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
Every year thousands of women are raped in the Eastern DRC, where gender-based violence is often used as a weapon of war. USAID collaborates with partners, among them IMA World Health, International Medical Corps (IMC), and International Rescue Committee (IRC), to support over 100,000 victims in the region. The Social Protection Unit offers survivors of SGBV medical and psycho social care, income generating activities, and access to legal services.
Following the presentation, a question and answer session was held, in which members of the audience (representing various non-profit organizations and USAID departments) received additional information on specifics of the programs. For example, Ms. Rasmussen-Tall and Aisha Bain of IRC highlighted the importance of engaging men and communities when implementing care and prevention projects.