SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ARMED CONFLICT: TESTING THE AU AND EU PROTOCOLS

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine measures for curbing the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Specifically, the article tests protocols provided by the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) in order to highlight the attendant key critiques and challenges. It highlights the prospects that protocols provided for by the AU and EU could mitigate and ameliorate sexual violence in armed conflict (SVAC) in contexts such as that of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Therefore, the article also examines strengths and weaknesses of the AU and EU protocols for SVAC. The article finds that there are more complex and area-specific reasons why sexual violence in armed conflict takes place in Africa, especially in the DRC. Furthermore, the article notes the notion that sexual violence as a weapon is recognized to be “cheaper than the use of bullets” as well as the societal preoccupation with biosocial and patriarchal military theory. This article finds that such acts or beliefs, which are morally unacceptable, are prevalent causes of SVAC in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The article concludes that protocols provided for by the AU and EU fall-short of what is required in the DRC because this country’s contexts entail more of redress than prevention. Indeed, prevention cannot be underrated, but there are already scars and victims of SVAC that require urgent intervention to build for a better society. The article recommends that a just and fair framework be established to address the problems that confront victims of SVAC as well as to hold governments and officials to account. Keywords: Armed conflict, Gender-based Violence, Institutional Frameworks, Security