Project profile — Justice, Empowerment and Dignity of Women and Girls in the DRC

• Congo, Democratic Republic (100.00%)

• Population policy and administrative management:
Population policy and administrative management (13010) (20.00%)
Reproductive health care (13020) (10.00%)
• Government And Civil Society, General: Ending violence against women and girls (15180) (70.00%)

• Gender equality (principal objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

The project aims to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) - such as sexual harassment, intimidation, early marriage and rape - as well as to unhealthy practices. It aims to improve the holistic management of survivors through multisectoral integrated service centres (MISC). The MISCs would make medical, psychosocial, legal and socioeconomic reintegration or school re-entry services available to girls and young women who are survivors of SGBV. Not only does the project contribute to SGBV prevention and to promote the rights of girls and women through a national campaign for change in social behaviours, but it also promotes a communication and engagement strategy for men and boys to change their behaviours and perceptions on sexual and gender-based violence. Project activities include: (1) community outreach and youth engagement; (2) strengthening community-based protection networks; (3) establishing the MISCs; (4) strengthening the capacity of lawyers and legal defenders; (5) developing initiatives that encourage female entrepreneurship and the socioeconomic reintegration of survivors or re-entry of underage victims into the school system; and (6) strengthening national coordination in the fight against SGBV.

Expected results for the project include: (1) decreased SGBV through social mobilization and the transformation of sociocultural attitudes and norms that are harmful to women and girls; (2) further strengthening of the empowerment and resilience of SGBV survivors through integrated, multisectoral, efficient and coordinated assistance and the increased efficiency of protection strategies; and (3) increased efficiency of protection, prevention and response strategies for SGBV through a unified national mechanism that is coordinated at the political and operational levels.

Results achieved as of December 2023 include: (1) supported 15,120 (14,702 women and 418 men) survivors of sexual violence to benefit from quality medical care and 17,206 (16,827 women and 379 men) survivors of sexual violence to benefit from quality psychosocial care; (2) supported 1,472 targeted communities to adopt positive socio-cultural attitudes and norms towards gender equality and the fight against gender-based violence; and (3) set up 12 One stop centers (OSC) and 10 OSC facilities in 5 provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including 3 in the east of the country. The vast majority of these beneficiaries are women and girls.

• Proactive disclosure