November 25 marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism against Violence Against Women campaign, with a particular focus this year on femicide.
Bruno Lemarquis, resident coordinator of the United Nations system in the DRC, revealed, based on 2023 statistics provided by the UN, that a woman is intentionally killed every 10 minutes in the world by a member of her family. or their partner, highlighting the extent of this violence, often preceded by repeated violence (verbal, physical, etc.).
He recalled that this phenomenon affects all countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, where sexual violence is used as weapons of war, particularly in the East. Although efforts exist to combat this violence, much remains to be done in terms of prevention, education, support for victims and the fight against impunity.
This year, the international theme of the campaign is “Fighting back and rebuilding after violence”. In this context, the United Nations is launching the “UNiTE” initiative, aiming to eradicate violence against women by 2030, calling on all actors to mobilize to end these abuses in all aspects of society. The objective is to break the silence, prevent and punish femicide, and act collectively to stop the cycle of violence.
Nancy Clémence Tshimueneka
