The Duchess of Edinburgh has called a sexual issue violence As soon as she used to meet, “under her skin” should be allowed to go women Affected by conflict rape In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Sophie “Rape weapons” spent four days in the country during a secret high-security journey for “Shine a Light” and recognize the work being done to support those who avoid frightening war sexual violence.
He visited Beni in the country’s struggle-east on Monday, and was attacked by a police officer as a 16-year-old girl, while another woman described sexual harassment while running away from rebel-aged areas.
Duchess has two children, Lady Lewis Windsor, 21, and 17 -year -old James, The Earl of Wessex, with her husband Duke of Edinburgh.
He entered a tent close to a hospital and sat barefoot with Live peopleSome of which used to cry as they used to speak.
On Wednesday, during the visit of the Panzi Clinic in Kinshasa, which provides care to the people who survive the sexual violence related to the conflict, the Nobel Peace Prize winner. Surgery was done as a five -year -old girl by Dennis Muktage.
She joined the Democratic Republic of Congo by the UK Ambassador Alison King.
Duchess later told reporters: “You really have to question yourself and go how we can reach a point where rape is accepted only as a part of daily life?”
“So it is terrible to listen to their stories, but each one should be told and every one is entitled to recognition, so I do not make any light of any of them and I just want that we do not need to listen to them but it is important that we do.”
She left: “I think you have to allow this issue to go under your skin.
“And there is only one way to get it, you really have to go and see it for yourself.
“You have to understand the environment in which people are living and sit with these people, from where they come, they do not come to you, you have to go to them.
“And you have to understand where they live, the circumstances that they are doing, have brought them in the moment that I am with them and what can be their promise or not, and unfortunately what they cannot catch are often the case.”
Sophie then met the women who had avoided sexual violence during a large -scale attempt to flee Kinshhasa in the Central Jail last year.
The Duchess went to a safhouse with a garbage with a narrow path, where women are being taken care of.
She heard a small, scorched room with two bunks and women heard forcibly abortion, marginalized from their own families and facing daily risks.
The mineral-rich Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has ended the war for decades, with more than seven million people displaced.
Earlier this year, the M23 rebellious group asked for Rwanda to be supported by Rwanda, seizing the cities of Goma and Bukavu in a major growth of conflict.
Other rebel groups, including allid Democratic Forces (ADF), who are associated with the so -called Islamic State (IS) group, have carried out fatal attacks in the region.
60 -year -old Sophie flew into Beni on a flight from Antabe in Uganda on Monday morning, traveling with a security team during the journey.
On landing, he said that it was a “honor” to return to the Democratic Republic of Congo, which had earlier visited in 2022, although he said: “I wish it would have been in a happy time.”
In Beni, a Danish refugee council for women in a safe place, which receives money from the UK, a woman told Sophie that women are likely to be raped when they search for firewood.
Another 24 -year -old woman said that she traveled for a three -day 40 km for Beni with a child and her family members after setting fire to the houses of ADF members.
He told the PA news agency through a Swahili translator that a safe place resulted in a concentration to recover him from mental health issues.
One woman spoke about traveling near Goma through rural areas amid M23 shelling in June, while the other said that she was worried that Beni could be further taken by militant groups.
Earlier, the Duchess had met the women’s peace soldiers, telling them that she had returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo as the struggle needs “resolution” and she is planning to travel again.
A woman was heard saying that Britain was entangled in the Britain to not be enough in the Democratic Republic of Congo Rwanda.
Sophie later told the woman that she was doing everything that was happening in the struggle, she could do all that she can do it.
Dr. Mukwe said he was “touched” from Duchess’s visit, saying that his presence sent a message to the surviving people: “You are human”.
The Duchess is a Champion of the United Nations women, a champion of the peace and security agenda (WPS) and the UK’s remote sexual violence is a supporter of the Initiative (PSVI).
On Thursday, Duchess visited the Kintbbo General Hospital, providing physical, mental and legal aid and economic opportunities to the survivors.
As she met the survivors with DRC Prime Minister Judith Suminwa, a doctor told reporters that there are some children in the convenience and they have seen cases where infants have been sexually abused.
A survivor said he and his daughter were raped by armed robbers, which broke her marriage and her husband took her daughter away.
She now sells as part of the economic activities provided to Wafal, saying that the hospital has been a “game changer”.
One mother said that her 12 -year -old daughter was raped after leaving the house and now sells vegetables in the markets to send her child to school.
A 22 -year -old survivor handed over the flag of a union made of red, white and blue beads to the Duchess, which he spent five hours.
Sophie later met DRC President Felix Tskedi at his office, where he exchanged pleasures in the French.