Julienne Lusenge is a Congolese human rights activist recognized for advocating for survivors of wartime sexual violence. She is co-founder and President of Female Solidarity for Integrated Peace and Development (SOFEPADI) and director of the Congolese Women's Fund (FFC).
Julienne Lusenge | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Lusenge in 2023 | |
| Born | |
| Occupation | Human rights activist |
| Years active | 1998 to Present |
| Known for | Advocacy for survivors of wartime sexual violence |
| Awards | 2018 Women’s International Rights Award 2016 Ginetta Sagan Award from Amnesty International |
She is the recipient of the 2018 Women’s International Rights Award from the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy and the 2016 Ginetta Sagan Award from Amnesty International. She received the Human Rights Award from the Embassy of France and named a Knight of the Legion of Honour by the French Government. She was awarded an International Women of Courage Award in 2021.[1]
Radio journalist
editJulienne Lusenge was working as a journalist in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 1998 when civil war broke out. She was a humanitarian radio broadcaster responsible for communicating health and human rights information to villagers in remote areas. Lusenge travelled throughout the eastern DRC interviewing women about their lives and sharing their stories in her radio shows. Over time, women began describing incidents of horrific sexual violence that they had observed or been victims of as the war escalated. Lusenge began documenting the sexual abuse and publicly condemning the acts of violence against women.[2]
Human rights activist
edit
Outraged by the sexual violence against women in her country, Lusenge and 22 fellow activists established SOFEPADI in 2000. The group came together to bring the issue of gender-based violence to the attention of international organizations working in the region, including the United Nations. Their plan was also to assist survivors recovering from trauma, helping them to navigate the judicial system and bring the perpetrators of sexual assault to justice.[3] In 2007, Lusenge launched a second non-profit organization, the Fund for Congolese Women (FFC), which works to support Congolese women’s rights groups and help them secure funding from international donors. The idea was to create a financial entity to bridge the gap between international donors and local women’s initiatives.[4]
Lusenge is a senior partner for a new project in DRC with Media Matters for Women, a non-profit organization whose primary focus is on "bridging the digital divide for isolated women and girls in poor, remote communities in Africa who lack access to information about their rights and are at risk from gender based violence and deepening poverty".[5] Lusenge's advocacy work has expanded beyond the borders of the DRC. She is on the advisory committee of the International Campaign to Stop Rape and Gender Violence in Conflict Zones and is the Vice President of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF).[6]
In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) appointed Lusenge as co-chair (alongside Aïchatou Mindaoudou) of a seven-person independent commission to investigate claims of sexual exploitation and abuse by aid workers during the 2018 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).[7]
Awards and recognition
edit
Women’s International Rights Award
editLusenge has been internationally recognized for her work. In 2018, a group of 25 human rights organizations awarded Lusenge the 2018 International Women's Rights Award from the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. She received the award at a ceremony held at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva on February 20, 2018, where she spoke before an audience of 700 U.N. diplomats, human rights activists, and journalists. 'Ms. Lusenge was chosen for the award "for her selfless dedication to the human rights of Congolese women amid the horrors of war, and for being a voice to the voiceless," said Hillel Neuer, the executive director of United Nations Watch.[5] [8]
Ginetta Sagan Award
editThe Ginetta Sagan Fund (GSF) was created in honor of Ginetta Sagan, an American human rights activist primarily known for her work with Amnesty International. GSF grants $20,000 annually to "honor and assist remarkable women from around the world who are changing the lives of millions for the better". Along with the $20,000 grant, Lusenge was invited to tour the United States with GSF to share her story about combating human rights abuse.[9]
French Government Awards
editLusenge received the Human Rights Award from the Embassy of France in 2012. She was also named a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 2013 by the French government.[6]
Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity
editOn October 10, 2021, she was awarded the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, at the Armenian Monastery on the island of San Lazzaro in Venice, Italy.[10]
United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights
editLusenge was among the awardees of the 2023 United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights.[11]
References
edit- ^ "2021 International Women of Courage Award Recipients Announced". US Department of State. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "JULIENNE LUSENGE Raising a voice for women amid the horrors of war". Jewish World Service. 11 November 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
- ^ "Turning victims into survivors: SOFEPADI's fight against sexual violence in the DRC". Fund for Global Human Rights. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
- ^ "Background FFC". The Fund for Congolese Women. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
- ^ a b "Julienne Lusenge honoured with International Women's Rights Award". Media Matters for Women. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- ^ a b "DAY 3: Meet Julienne Lusenge, Democratic Republic Of Congo". /nobelwomensinitiative.org/. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
- ^ Sexual Assault: WHO names independent body to investigate DRC sex abuse claims Al Jazeera, October 15, 2020.
- ^ "IWD2018 Inspiration: Julienne Lusenge". Medium.com. 8 March 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
- ^ "Meet the 2016 Ginetta Sagan Award Winner: Julienne Lusenge". amnestyusa.org. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
- ^ see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELDi6kAn0dU and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKpZ-L7Z-3A
- ^ "2023 recipients, UN Human Rights Prize". OHCHR. Retrieved 10 December 2023.