Harvard Humanitarian Initiative

Background on Conflict in the Congo

The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has claimed over five million lives since 1996, making it the deadliest conflict since World War II. While mass rape has been a feature of many civil and interstate conflicts, the violence in eastern DRC features unique and disturbing characteristics. In 2007, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes called rape in the DRC, "the worst in the world."

Tens of thousands of women have been raped or sexually mutilated. The uncommonly brutal nature of the crimes leads to a host of health problems for survivors: pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease (including HIV), and traumatic fistula – a condition that leaves women incontinent of urine, stool, or both. Many women and their children are abandoned by their husbands and communities and become homeless and destitute.

HHI's work is focused on identifying prevention and mitigation tactics that can protect Congolese women's health and human rights at the individual, community, and international levels.

Update from the Field

HHI researcher Jocelyn Kelly is currently in eastern DRC continuing research on the effects of the protracted conflict there. Jocelyn is interviewing militia members in the field to better understand their experiences with and attitudes toward the continuing violence. She is also continuing her research on the effects of war on communities, examining how the following social structures are affected by instability and displacement: inheritance rights, community leadership, economic activity, and family interactions.
 

Current Projects

Addressing Root Causes of Mass Rape In partnership with UN-OCHA, Open Society Institute, and Oxfam America, HHI research addresses the root causes and consequences of gender-based violence in eastern DRC. Recent research and recommendations by HHI investigators have shaped international policy and informed the humanitarian community's understanding of why mass atrocities occur. Particular investigations focus on: Documenting survivors' needs for medical, psychosocial, and livelihood support; Assessing community perceptions of sexual assault; Evaluating the effectiveness of local and international service providers; Tracking militia activity and understanding perpetrator motivation.

Capacity-Building for Local Clinics In May 2007, the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) launched a pilot program to build the clinical capacity of Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo. Although Panzi is a full service hospital, it is the region's main treatment center for victims of sexual abuse seeking surgical and medical treatment. The hospital accepts 10 to 12 new rape victims daily, and it is not uncommon for there to be 450 sexual assault victims admitted to the hospital at any given time. HHI's program, directed by Dr. Julia VanRooyen, focuses on training hospital personnel in complex pelvic repair procedures by sending U.S. gynecologic surgeons to work side-by-side with Congolese physicians.

Multimedia

For more stories and videos about HHI's work in the Democratic Republic of Congo, please visit our multimedia page.

Looking Horror in the Face	DRC History
Jocelyn Kelly: Seeking the whole picture of Congo violence	HHI-Panzi Partnership
Jennifer Scott: Being there for atrocity's survivors	Data: L'Incident
Local Partners Critical to HHI's Work	Men with guns

Published Reports

Characterizing Sexual Violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Profiles of Violence, Community Responses, and Implications for the Protection of Women   This report uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore sexual violence in the Democratic Replublic of Congo.  Results from this report show the sexual violence perpetrated by armed actors in the DRC has features that indicate rape is being used as a weapon of war. The violence in DRC embodies a new kind of war emerging in the 21st century - one that occurs in villages more than battlefields and affects more civilians than armed combatants.

Gender Based Violence Blog

More information on HHI's research and on gender based violence in the DRC can be found on Research Coordinator Jocelyn Kelly's Change.org blog.

Lead Researchers

Michael VanRooyen, MD, MPH, FACEP
Director of GBV Program, Co-Director of Harvard Humanitarian Initiative

Jocelyn Kelly, MS
GBV Research Coordinator, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative

Susan Bartels, MD, MPH
Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard University

Sadia Hader, MD, MPH
Division Director of Family Planning, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Jennifer Leaning, MD, SMH
Co-Director, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative

Jen Scott, MD, MBA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Julia VanRooyen, MD
Visiting Scientist, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative