Protecting women and girls, from Iraq to Congo
12 November 2009
Thirty-one year old Sarah Spencer is absolutely delighted to be one of the six winners of Cosmopolitan magazine's Ultimate Women of the Year awards. But even though she's flown from the Democratic Republic of Congo to London to attend the awards - alongside celebrities at a top London venue - she's finding it hard to focus.
"The reality for women in Congo is that every day they wake up knowing that this is the day they could be attacked or abused," she says, reflecting on her role as the IRC's acting director for gender-based violence programmes in the central African state.
A recent Congolese military operation in eastern Congo called Kimia II was aimed at driving out rebels from South Kivu, but has had devastating effects on the wellbeing and safety of women and girls in the area. "The severity of violence against women and girls is increasing and we're seeing younger and younger girls coming to us for help," says Sarah.
The IRC and its national NGO partners are setting up systems to protect women and girls and to provide them with lifesaving care and support.
London-based Sarah has worked for the IRC for four years. She is on call 365 days per year and can be summoned immediately to any of the world’s worst conflict zones to help women and girls who have experienced sexual violence.
"When I tell people what I do, they sometimes give me a sad look, as if it's a depressing job. But although the stories I hear are appalling, this work is inspiring. The women and girls we work with are heroines because of the way they stand up against injustices in their communities. How can you not be moved by that?" asks Sarah.
"I see women and girls living in the face of tremendous abuse and violence, I see them survive horrific acts of torture and rape. They are courageous and outspoken leaders in their communities and it’s an honour to work with these women," she says.
In the past year, Sarah has been to Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Cote d'Ivoire and Zimbabwe, and has spent a lot of time in the displaced persons camps of Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
As soon as Sarah and the emergency team arrive in a conflict zone, they set up systems to help meet immediate needs. This could be making sure that women and girls have access to health services, as many will have experienced sexual violence, and ensuring that they have access to psychosocial care and essential items such as sanitary towels.
Sarah and her colleagues also support local efforts to ensure women's rights are respected. This involves working with local women's groups, community leaders and local government. Respect for women's rights is a key component of preventing violence taking place in the first place.
Last year Sarah had not been home long from Darfur when she received an email from her director with urgent instructions to go straight to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
She was plunged into war-torn Goma, the main town in North Kivu province. Two-hundred and fifty thousand people had been displaced in the region by increased fighting and IRC staff were being assaulted and attacked.
"I wasn't scared. You don’t have time to think about it. We were working from 6am to 10pm every day. And the risks I faced as an international aid worker were minimal compared to those faced by women and girls living in the camps. Thinking about my feelings is irrelevant. I think about the inspiring women I work with and whom IRC supports," explains Sarah.
Sarah hopes that the award will help raise awareness and inspire readers of Cosmopolitan magazine to take action to support women affected by violence and to work ultimately to prevent it occurring at all.
Media Contact
Beverley Cohen (London): +44 (0)7775 196 939, beverley.cohen(at)IRCuk.org
Comments
Add comment