Combatting Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and Impunity

Active in eastern DRC since 2008, the American Bar Association ABA- Rule of Law Initiative (hereafter ABA ROLI), focused its work on building the capacity of the Congolese judicial actors and enabling them to renew their efforts to prosecute and convict the perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

Thus, the ABA ROLI and its Congolese partners have trained hundreds of police officers, prosecutors, judges and lawyers and provided legal advisory services to nearly 1,900 SGBV survivors. The ABA contributed to about 1,350 complaints against alleged rapists, resulting in up to 281 rape cases and 225 convictions, or a conviction rate covering nearly 80% of the files.