Frédéric Sautereau

North Kivu. Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Reportage done for the Premiere Urgence NGO.

Women and children are primarily the victims of violent conflicts that have plagued the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo for the past fifteen years.
Tens of thousands of women have been sexually assaulted by armed groups, most notably Congolese government troops. Recently the rebel DFLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) and the Mai Mai militia have distributed themselves throughout the North Kivu province thanks largely to changes in military alliances. They continue to terrorize local populations. 

The absence of a centralized and local government in the North Kivu province only accentuates the rebel’s sense of impunity. The recently allied AFDRC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo) and the DCDP (National Congress for the Defense of the People) have little influence over the situation. These organizations receive little to no funding and their members are often never paid.