U.S. Strategy to Address Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

strategy to address sexual and gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) aims to reduce impunity for perpetrators, increase prevention and protection against SGBV, improve the capacity of the security sector, and increase access to quality services for survivors. The strategy is aligned with the DRC government's efforts and the United Nations' strategies. The DRC is plagued by widespread SGBV, with over 17,000 cases of rape reported in 2009, and nearly 75% of women experiencing spousal or partner abuse. Men and boys are also victims of SGBV, often overlooked as a vulnerable population. The U.S. government has been a major donor in the response to SGBV in the DRC since 2002, funding programs that fight impunity, promote protection and community prevention, and improve access to care and treatment services for survivors. The U.S. government's four key objectives are to reduce impunity for perpetrators of SGBV, increase prevention and protection against SGBV for vulnerable populations, improve the capacity of the security sector to address SGBV, and increase access to quality services for survivors. To achieve these objectives, the U.S. government will work with the DRC government, the United Nations, and other international and local partners to improve the DRC government's capacity to prevent SGBV, address the threat from illegal armed entities, and break the cycle of impunity for crimes affecting innocent men, women, and children. The U.S. government will also support the full inclusion of women in the country's political and economic development, recognizing that women are a powerful voice for peace and an instrument of development when given the opportunity. Investing in women is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do. The DRC government has released a national gender-based violence strategy in 2009, incorporating the UN-developed strategy as guidelines for the eastern provinces and identifying additional nationwide and region-specific goals. The U.S. government will work with the DRC government and Congolese civil society to support the reform of the security, health, education, and justice sectors, encourage efforts to prevent SGBV, and assist survivors. To reduce impunity for perpetrators of SGBV, the U.S. government prioritizes four sub-objectives: increasing access to justice in underserved areas, strengthening judicial institutions and the legislative framework on accountability, building the capacity and independence of judicial personnel, and cultivating through diplomatic engagement the political will to implement the government's zero-tolerance policy. The U.S. government will also work to increase prevention and protection against SGBV for vulnerable populations, improve the capacity of the security sector to address SGBV, and increase access to quality services for survivors. This will involve delivering legal services to SGBV survivors, training community leaders, and building the capacity of the security forces to address SGBV. The U.S. government's strategy to address SGBV in the DRC is a critical step towards supporting the emergence of a stable, democratic country that is at peace with its neighbors and provides for the basic needs of its citizens. The strategy takes a holistic approach to addressing SGBV, aiming to ensure appropriate care for survivors of rape and abuse while also strengthening deterrents against SGBV crimes by reducing impunity and building institutional, community, and individual capacity to prevent future acts of rape and abuse.