Kinshasa, October 1st, 2026 (CPA).- The situation of conflict-related sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was presented Wednesday in Geneva, Switzerland, by the Minister of Human Rights, on the occasion of the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, according to a statement consulted by CPA on Thursday. The 63rd regular session is being held in Geneva from September 7th to October 7th, 2026. (HRC Portal)
“In the presence of ambassadors, civil society organizations and other diplomatic missions, Minister Samuel Mbemba recalled in Geneva that the country of President Félix Tshisekedi knows the gruesome cost of violence, including the appalling figure of one woman raped every four minutes as a result of the aggression by Rwanda and its AFC-M23 proxies, whose emblematic figures are Paul Kagame, Joseph Kabila and Corneille Nangaa,” the statement from the ministry’s communications unit said. “As the presidency of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) has been held by the DRC since the beginning of this year, the Minister of Human Rights sought to further raise awareness among the international community about sexual violence in the DRC, particularly in the eastern part of the country, which has been under fire from Rwanda for more than three decades,” the source added.
The Minister in charge of Human Rights raises awareness among the international community
According to the same source, during the discussions, the DRC notably proposed the creation of a global PSVI secretariat, the fight against impunity, as well as concrete protection measures, including the registration of births without discrimination.
It should be noted that, in her capacity as “Global Champion for the Prevention of Sexual Violence,” First Lady Denise Nyakeru supports and closely follows activities aimed at preventing sexual violence.