Cologne/Bukavu. Malteser International perceives first progress in the fight against sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 'Since summer, a law clearly convicts rapes as criminal offences', Dr. Alfred Kinzelbach, the coordinator of Malteser International in the area of the Great Lakes, explains: 'Slowly, authorities and organisations break the taboo regarding rapes.' For the first time, a protest march, theatre plays and radio segments will raise the issue on the 'International Day of the Elimination of Violence Against Women' on November 25 in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu.

With different workshops on the subject, Malteser International triggered preoccupation with the problem. Its partner organisations carried out more than 1,000 measurements to sensitise the people to violence against women, reaching tens of thousands of people. 'However, more than 30,000 raped women we had to treat during the past three years are more than 30,000 too many', emphasises Kinzelbach. Also, it is estimated that less than ten percent of the incidents become public at all.

Malteser International is especially worried about gangs of former combatants. 'In the jungle in the west of Lake Kivu, armed groups repeatedly kidnapped people during the past weeks, brutally raped the women and tortured the men - and sometimes killed them', Kinzelbach describes the situation: 'Urgently, the troop numbers of the United Nations and the Congolese army have to be strengthened in these areas.'

Since 2003, Malteser International treats women who became victims of sexual violence in a specialised programme and offers them medical and psycho-social care. In 34 health care centres in the province of South Kivu and in the district of Ituri, the organisation has treated nearly 32,000 affected people aged between 11 and 70 years, among them also some men. Over 35 medical experts and more than 200 employees trained in psycho-social care coming from 20 partner organisations look after the victims and organise sensitisation workshops and awareness campaigns.

Attention editorial offices! Dr. Alfred Kinzelbach, Regional Coordinator of Malteser International in the area of the Great Lakes, is currently in Cologne and available for interviews. Please contact +49 (0) 221 / 9822 - 155 or +49 (0) 171 / 425 63 44.

To view pictures please follow: www.malteser.de -> Aktuelles -> Aktuelle Bilder zum Download.

A photo gallery and texts on the topic are obtainable at www.malteser-international.org. .

For its projects in DR Congo, Malteser International appeals for donations:

Donation Account 120 120 120 Bank fuer Sozialwirtschaft, Woerthstr.15-17, D-50668 Koeln Sort Code 370 205 00, IBAN : DE49 3702 0500 0001 0258 01, BIC: BFSWDE33XXX Reference: "Congo"

For more Information please contact: Petra Ipp, Senior Desk Officer Communication, Malteser International Phone: +49-221-9822-155, Fax +49-221/9822-179; petra.ipp@malteser-international.org; www.malteser-international.org

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