Armed conflicts and violent extremism have rapidly intensified in areas such as Lubero and Ituri, with young people increasingly mobilizing to support both the Democratic Republic of Congo armed forces and rebel groups like the M23. Gender inequality and gender-based violence are deeply intertwined with the ongoing conflict and violent extremism. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by sexual violence, which is used as a tool of control and terror by armed groups. Entrenched patriarchal norms and rigid gender roles exclude women from education, conflict resolution, and political participation, limiting their ability to contribute to peacebuilding efforts. Displanced women and girls are especially vulnerable, facing disrupted access to education, health services, and justice, further perpetuating inequality and violence.
Community dialogues facilitated by religious leaders in conflict zones have shown promise in resolving local disputes, but the challenges of gender-based violence and the exclusion of women from decision-making processes remain significant obstacles to achieving lasting peace and stability in the DRC.
Despite the gravity of the situation, there continues to be a disturbing lack of attention and adequate prevention of the violent extremsim crisis, further marginalizing the voices and experiences of those affected, particularly women and girls.
To address this problem, the USHIRIKA Gender Transformative Project aims to reduce gender-based violence, prejudices and customary practices directed against women in target communities by tackling the root causes of violent extremism, breaking the cycle of marginalized and violence, and thus strengthening the resilience and stability of communities.
The Project Goals
- Ensuring PVE actions are more effective and inclusive and transform harmful gender norms to promote gender equality.
- Strengthening the resilience of communities to counter violent extremism and strengthen social cohesion.
- Improving SGBV prevention and response mechanisms in target communities.
To achieve these goals, USHIRIKA gender transformative project is implementing three main activities namely peacebuilding and PVE training, two sessions on improving social and economic gender status, advocacy.
