Democratic Republic of Congo

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Peace treaty signed between the Enyele and the Munzaya communities

SFCG has spearheaded a historic peace process in Equateur province, where violent conflict in 2009 resulted in 130,000 displaced persons and refugees. Attempts to resolve the conflict were complicated because of inaccessibility into the forest areas and tight security restrictions in the region. SFCG undertook its first mission in February 2010 at the request of MONUSCO. Working in collaboration with MONUSCO, UNHCR, and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), SFCG established an office in Dongo by October, to work more closely on confidence-building between the disputing communities. SFCG conducted peace building activities that included the participatory theatre, joint activities, film screenings, and the creation of a joint management committee of the disputed fishing ponds, all designed to present alternative ways of dealing with conflict. This culminated in the signing of a non-aggression pact between the two ethnic groups on March 31st 2011. In mid-2012, after two years in refugee camps in Congo-Brazzaville, refugees started to return home in large numbers. UNHCR helps the refugees cross the river, and SFCG assures that the refugees are given a hospitable welcome and are accepted into their home communities. In May alone over 1500 refugees returned, and there are plans for another 49,000 people to be repatriated before the end of the year, and an additional 32,000 in 2013. For SFCG it is the culmination of two years of hard work involving mediation, negotiation and encouraging disputing parties to find common ground.

From left to right: SFCG conflict mediators take helicopters to work in inaccessible areas, pocket radios are distributed to those who have never heard the radio before, SFCG Participatory Theatre actors welcome return refugees.

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Preventing Sexual & Gender-Based Violence

Since 1998, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has suffered appalling atrocities and trauma. War and other violence-related causes have resulted in an estimated five million deaths. More than 200,000 women and girls have been raped. Deplorably, the Congolese Army and armed militias have been the prime perpetrators. Faced with repeated denunciations by humanitarian and human rights groups, the Army has often reacted with denial and defensiveness, and it has tried to insulate itself from the criticism. In such an atmosphere, we recognized the opportunity to create a different kind of relationship, and in 2006 we made a decision to work with the Congolese Army to help transform it into a force whose main task is to protect - not harm - civilians.

To this end, we formed a partnership with the Congolese Army to implement a series of activities whose aim is to reduce and eliminate the occurrence of sexual violence. Each activity is designed to reinforce the others and to be part of a holistic initiative that helps create an environment in which impunity ends and in which violence against women ceases to be prevalent.

Key projects include:

• SFCG DRC has launched a poster campaign to prevent rape and sexual violence. The campaign communicates core messages about sexual violence prevention. The campaign aims to remove stigma associated with sexual violence, emphasize its severity, and show that real and serious consequences exist for those who decide to commit sexual violence against women. Click here to read more about the campaign.

• The Vrai Djo campaign engages men as positive actors in the in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Asking, "Est-il un vrai djo?" (Is he a real man?), the campaign promotes positive male role models. Click here to read more about Vrai Djo.

Read more about SFCG's other projects on Preventing Sexual & Gender-Based Violence...

Democracy & Governance

SFCG works towards improving information access and dialogue among Congolese citizens, media, civil society and their elected leaders. SFCG DRC aims to:

• Raise awareness amongst citizens on principles, practices, and structures of their new democracy, including their rights and responsibilities within it

• Foster links between policy makers, civil society and the media on issues of civic participation, public policy, and governance.

Read more about SFCG's projects on Democracy & Governance...

Security Sector Reform

Years of war and insecurity, in which members of the various armed forces have abused human rights, have tarnished military-civilian relations. Working with the Congolese army (FARDC) and police, SFCG supports the ongoing Security Sector Reform (SSR)aiming to build the capacity of the armed forces to successfully transform conflict, and to improve military-civilian relations.

The aims of this work are:

• Raise awareness of human rights and conflict management within the Congolese army, and raise their capacity to train others in these areas;

• Raise civilian awareness of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) and SSR processes underway and support their successful realization

• Close monitoring through military committees to track human rights violations by soldiers through the justice system

Read more about SFCG's projects on Security Sector Reform...

Repatriation

SFCG fosters peaceful reintegration of Congolese returnees in South Kivu and north Katanga by providing information that enables refugees to make informed decisions about return and by fostering dialogue and collaborative approaches to conflict between returnees and residents in the zones of return. In order to contribute to the reintegration of refugees in DRC, SFCG makes use of key tools such as radio programming, participatory theatre and community outreach.

Participatory theatre

SFCG has several trained participatory theatre troupes that work primarily in Fizi and Uvira territories in South Kivu and Moba territory in north Katanga. In Eastern DRC, SFCG trains and sponsors three participatory theatre troupes in the different return zones in the territories of Uvira and Fizi, South Kivu, as well as the territory of Moba, North Katanga. SFCG performances have reached over 400,000 people in DRC and Burundi.

Radio programs

SFCG produces two weekly programs aimed at informing refugees, returnees and residents about the repatriation process. Called Wote Tukutane Tena (“We All Meet Again”) the program is broadcast in return zones in South Kivu and north Katanga as well as in the refugee camps in Burundi and Tanzania.

Social Cohesion in DRC & Region

Years of war and displacement have left deep divides between communities in DRC and within the region. These divides play themselves out along ethnic, tribal and national lines. They also become evident between polarized groups such as demobilized soldiers, returned refugees, and between military and civilians.

SFCG aims to repair these relationships through joint activities using media, culture, sports, conflict transformation trainings, festivals and communal projects:

• Bringing together former enemies and perceived enemies to play, eat, and spend time together in friendship;

• Enabling inter-ethnic collaboration to be viewed in public by a large number of people;

• Creating a large number of "informal messengers," who will recount the event's activities and outcomes to wider audiences.

Through these cultural exchanges and sharing, SFCG programs aim to reduce violence and increase cohabitation among communities divided by the wars and to increase positive interaction among residents, repatriated refugees, and returnees.

Read more about SFCG's projects on Social Cohesion...

Conflict Sensitive Development

SFCG is pioneering a new approach that ensures that stabilization/development work is conflict sensitive. Drawing on our expertise in conflict transformation, SFCG accompanies stabilization and development projects, uncovering and addressing conflicts that disrupt social cohesion, helping partner NGOs to be more conflict-sensitive, and improving the capacity of local communities to resolve conflicts. Currently, SFCG contributes to conflict sensitivity in the UNICEF funded "Program of Expanded Assistance to Returnees Plus" in eastern DRC, and a project "Building Civil Society Capacity to Promote Conflict Transformation in the Uélé Districts" funded by the National Endowment for Democracy. The work involves conducting the following activities among others: conflict analysis, training of NGO workers, training of local leaders and organizations, as well as direct conflict mediation.

Read more about SFCG's projects on Conflict Sensitive Development...

Comic Books

One of SFCG DRC’s flagship tools is the comic book. In our work with the Congolese military, SFCG developed a comic that features an unscrupulous officer named Captain January. A testament to the popularity and impact of the comic book is that the name of Captain January has entered the military vernacular, with soldiers using it as a way to warn and criticize colleagues who harass civilians. Another SFCG comic book is the long running “Mopila” series. The title character is a humoristic taxi driver who takes it upon himself to address problems in his society. Among other subjects, Mopila has tackled police corruption and brutality, and helped his young niece when she was sexually harassed by her teacher. Mopila on the Road to the Police Station is available here. Mopila on the Avenue of Love, focusing on the subject of sexual violence in schools, can be found here.

Over 500,000 comic books have already been distributed, and SFCG is flooded with requests for more. The comic book is popular and effective, because it transmits information in an engaging and accessible way. It is suitable for youth and adults, and deals with issues that people face on a daily basis. Lastly, the comic book can be read and reread, with people even using at as a guide for approaching some of the problems in their society. The comic book remains an indispensable part of the SFCG “toolkit”.

Read more about SFCG's Comic Book Projects...

Radio Programming

Radio programming is a major component of SFCG activities in the DRC. The medium is used to address topics ranging from good governance, to military-civilian relations, to sexual and gender-based violence. Some of the programs are humorous and engaging radio soap operas, whereas others are radio news magazines. SFCG's radio programs are among the most popular in the DRC. We receive hundreds of texts and phone calls as listener feedback every month, and recent listener surveys have estimated the audience of our most popular programs at close to 30 million.

Furthermore, over 80 radio partners across the country receive training, technical support, and a package of programs from SFCG. The media landscape in the DRC has changed irrevocably thanks to these partnerships. Local radio stations broadcast professional programs that challenge rather than promote stereotypes, that investigate rather than spread rumors, and that encourage nonviolent solutions and a common ground approach to resolving conflicts.

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SFCG addresses conflict mining at the local level

The presence of vast mineral resources plays a key role in the conflicts that devastate Eastern Congo. Numerous human rights groups have denounced the informal nature of the mining sector, which allows armed groups to finance their operations via the sale of conflict minerals. The Dodd-Frank bill requires Wall Street companies to trace the origins of their minerals, and ensure that they are conflict-free. On a positive note, this initiative will impede upon the activities of dangerous armed groups. On another note, if the law is not followed there is a risk that Congolese minerals could be banned entirely, which would devastate the local economy. SFCG is therefore undertaking steps to support the implementation of the law at a local level.

SFCG has entered into a partnership with Pact in order to contribute to civilian protection and the eradication of conflict mining in the DRC and Rwanda. The project will inform the local population and mining communities in particular, of the importance of being able to trace minerals, and encourage those who currently profit from the sale of conflict minerals, to instead conform to the new law. The project aims to empower communities in denouncing human rights abuses along the supply chain in the DRC and Rwanda, and to claim their right to protection. The project activities include:

• 50 radio soap opera episodes in the DRC and 50 in Rwanda;

• 1,400 posters on human rights violations regarding women and children working in the mines

• 2,000 posters on tracing and certifying minerals

• 2,000 brochures explaining the mechanisms of traceability and the certification of minerals, to be distributed to miners, transporters and traders

• 2,000 brochures in Swahili on mining codes, taxation, and relevant policies

• 32,300 comic books on good governance in the mining sector, the traceability and certification of minerals, and how to combat human rights abuses. These comics will be distributed in mining areas and at national borders.

Read more about SFCG's projects on Conflict Mining...

SFCG in the Great Lakes Region

SFCG has developed a regional strategy in the Great Lakes, across its Rwanda, Burundi and DRC programs. The strategy takes into account the dual character of the conflicts in the region: both local/national and with regional dimension. SFCG in the region seeks to inspire key people from diverse groups to become actors for social change and actively contribute to both peace and reconciliation in their communities.

SFCG is currently participating in several projects with a regional dimension, including:

• a project funded by USAID that aims to strengthening repatriation, and reintegration through information and conflict transformation in Burundi, and Eastern DRC

• a project funded by USAID entitled Supporting Trading For Peace in the Great Lakes, which overall goal is for trade routes between Burundi, the DRC and Rwanda to be more secure for regional economic activities

• a media and outreach initiative funded by the Swedish government that aims to support civil society engagement in peace and security issues in the Great Lakes.

Read more about SFCG's projects in the Great Lakes Region...