Injustice+Towards+Women

Injustice Towards Women In Eastern Congo
 * __Basic Facts:__**

=  =  The Dem. Rep. of Congo has the highest rate of sexual violence in the entire world. This is because rape is used as a weapon of war. The Dem. Rep. of Congo is one of the most dangerous places for women and girls. In 2009 alone, 8,300 rapes took place. Rape is a military strategy to intimidate, punish, and control the population in the mining areas. Some foreign armed militia groups who are infamous for rape include the FDLR, the national congress for the defense of the people CNDP, Mai Mai, and LRA. These groups will forcibly recruit men for labor and women and children for sexual exploitation. The war in Eastern Congo is the deadliest conflict since WWII, claiming over 3 million lives. Women who are captured for sexual exploitation have their hands bound so tightly they will sometimes have to be amputated. These women are held as slaves for months, and treated very poorly. Contraceptives are not used because the women are wanted to be made pregnant for the sole purpose of aborting the child later. Ages for victims range from 12 months to 70 year olds and girls as young as the age of seven have been as wives to men in Africa. Cancer, STDs, and AIDs are all possible results of the rapes.



Women in the Congo women did not have equal status as the men in the 1990’s. The women were taxed as income earning prostitutes. Most women did the bulk of agricultural work. The war in Congo has started most injustices toward women.
 * __History:__**

__** Political: **__ Hilary Clinton is working hard and focuses on women's rights in Congo. Also s enators Kerry, Boxer, Snowe, and Collins and Representatives Delahunt and Poe introduced the International Violence Against Women Act. These members of congress know how much of an issue injustice towards women is.

When women are raped many rape survivors are shunned in their communities, especially if they became pregnant due to rape. Pregnant women are burned or abandoned by their family because they carry the enemy's child. Also men treat women as inferior and deny them privileges. Raped women are not allowed to come home, and if they do, they're ignored. Most of rapes are done by the Congolese army compared to the rebel groups.
 * __Social:__**

__**Economic Impact:**__ Girls in Africa have also been discriminated against in education, work, politics (voting), inheritance, and other financial activities. Poverty or a poor economy can increase the chance of gender inequality. Some women are sold or forced into prostitution because of how bad the economy is and is their only turn for money. Also rape can cause more births which means a bigger population that can impact the economy.

__**Future of the Issue:**__ Organizations like Heal My People have been working to help raise money and give aid to African Women facing injustice. Along with educating young Africans about how wrong injustice to women is, they have also developed a saving and loan system to help women. The founder of Heal My People is Mama Muliri. Hopefully soon in the near future, injustice for women will become less violent and one day stop all together.

__**Works Cited**__

CNET News. "Technology News - CNET News." //Technology News - CNET News//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. . "Child Soldiers and Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Programs: The Universalism of Childrenâ€™s Rights vs. Cultural Relativism Debate." //The Journal of Humanitarian Assistance//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. . "Ending Violence Against Women Is a Foreign Policy Priority | U.S. Department of State Blog." //DipNote : U.S. Department of State Official Blog//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. . "FAO: FAO Home." //FAO: FAO Home//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. . "Fool Stock Now." //Fool Stock Now//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. . "Heal My People Helps 30000 Congolese Women." //Heal Africa//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. . "Home | Human Rights Watch." //Home | Human Rights Watch//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. . UNC News. "UNC News - Crusader against injustice in Africa to speak March 30." //UNC News - Home//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. . <span style="font: 12px/27.5px Helvetica; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; text-indent: -40px;">"United Nations University." //United Nations University//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. <www.unu.edu/unpress>. <span style="font: 12px/27.5px Helvetica; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; text-indent: -40px;">"Welcome to GVNET.COM -- The Web Professionals." //Welcome to GVNET.COM -- The Web Professionals//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. <http://www.gvnet.com/>. <span style="font: 12px/27.5px Helvetica; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; text-indent: -40px;">"Welcome to the United Nations: It's Your World." //Welcome to the United Nations: It's Your World//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. <http://www.un.org/>.

//MLA formatting by BibMe.org.//