SPECIAL ABOUT DR DENIS MUKWEGE (Democatic Republic Congo)

Since long I've know and read about the Congolese Dr. and gyneacologist Denis Mukwege living and working in Congo and because of the greusomeness and neverending number of rape victims he, in 1999, decided to open a hospital, Panzi, only to try and help them and he figaratively speaking fought to death in trying to do so. The perpetrators: rivaling tribes in war raping the women of other tribes as a trophee and proof of their 'bravery'. Dr. Mukwege literary saved thousands of women ('till today about 60.000 and counting) and not only deserves a minutes long standing ovation. Since 2008, Mukwege has been awarded dozens of prizes in recognition of his work, including the UN Human Rights Prize (2008), in 2014 he was awarded the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and the Seoul Peace Prize (2016) and the Nobel Peace Prize (2018). All because in his words <You can and must end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in armed conflict only by abolishining it.> Together with the Yazidi activist Nadia Murad, Dr Mukwege received the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize <for his efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.> He has also been granted honorary degrees from the Universities of Edinburgh and Harvard. A 2015 documentary entitled 'The man who mends women - the wrath of Hippocrates' illustrates his life and work. The film was subtitled in all EU official languages with the support of the European Parliament. Something he more than well deserves and especially his goal of what to do with the money. He not only deserves our deepest respect but also our full support, to start with for the victims and last but not least Dr. Denis Mukwege.
With this special I'll take you on a journey wich will take you along his road of high- and downlights.
Gino d'Artali
Indept investigative journalist

RELATED

When one hurts or kills a women
one hurts or kills hummanity and is an antrocitie.
Gino d'Artali
and: My mother (1931-1997) always said to me <Mi figlio, non esistono notizie <vecchie> perche puoi imparare qualcosa da qualsiasi notizia.> Translated: <My son, there is no such thing as so called 'old' news because you can learn something from any news.>
Gianna d'Artali

Africa Center
19 Sept 2022
<<A conversation with Dr. Denis Mukwege, Nobel Peace Price Laureate.
EVENT RECAP
At a time when armed rebel groups continue to cause violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), women in the area have become increasingly vulnerable. The Atlantic Council's Africa Center spoke with Dr. Denis Mukwege-world-renowned gynecologist, human rights advocate, Nobel and Sakharov Prize laureate from the DRC-on September 19, 2022 on the sidelines of the 77th United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
....
Yade opened the discussion by recalling having visited Mukwege's Panzi Hospital fifteen years ago as French minister; she asked Mukwege how the situation has evolved on-the-ground since then. <I must say that the situation in the DRC has not really become better in the fifteen years since you came by,> said Mukwege. In his view, the violence has continued to result in concerningly high num-bers of casualties, acts of sexual violence, and displacements of individuals and communities. Yade also inquired about the development of the Panzi Hospital in recent years and whether the hospital has the necessary personnel, equipment, and infrastructure to meet the needs of its patients. Mukwege prefaced his response by saying that the staff works <in an extremely difficult context.> However, he went on to highlight positive developments, noting that <at the beginning, I was the only gynecologist. Now, I have trained seven gynecologists.> While the hospital has experienced increases in trained personnel, the violence in the eastern part of the country continues to wreak havoc on communities, specifically targeting women and children. Mukwege explained that <things have advanced at the hospital, but there's still no solution to the real problem.> Following these remarks, Africa Center senior fellow Michael Shurkin asked Mukwege about the security situation in the eastern DRC and the effects of the UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO). While Mukwege thought that MONUSCO <has not achieved its goal of civil protection,> he firmly believed that <things would actually be much worse> without the presence of the UN Mission. He called for MONUSCO to <reform the security sector,> <ensure territorial integrity,> and include <transitional justice> in its mandate before departing the country. Shurkin also brought up the ineffectiveness of the Congolese army in quelling the violence and creating lasting peace. Mukwege asserted that the DRC army has adequate resources at its disposal; the main problem, according to him, is <the problem of political will. I believe this lack of political will cannot be mistaken for lack of ability,> he said. In all, he stressed the need for change in order to create an army that keeps its people safe.
Jennifer Klein of the White House Gender Policy Council delivered remarks supporting Mukwege's work in the DRC and across the globe. She started by reaffirming this support: <The United States is grateful for his tireless work to stand with and support survivors of sexual violence in the DRC.> Klein further went on to address the White House's priorities regarding working to eliminate gender-based violence globally. She highlighted three lines of effort: <support for survivors,> <strengthening accountability for perpetrators,> and <working with multilateral partners to enhance and enforce existing legal frameworks.> Her overarching message demonstrated the United States' dedication to Mukwege's work and the greater effort to support women's rights on a global scale.
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Mukwege ended the conversation by highlighting the importance of women in communities and thus the significant harm done by attacking women. <When you destroy women, you destroy the community,> said Mukwege. His efforts, coupled with the remarks from Klein and Kannisto, demonstrate the commitment of global leaders to mitigate and eliminate acts of violence against women in the DRC and around the world.>>
Caitlin Mittrick is a young global professional at the Atlantic Council Africa Center and a graduate student at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs.
Read all here:
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/a-conversation-with-dr-denis-mukwege/

 

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