Programs and Events
Press Roundtable on Sexual Violence
Embassy Kinshasa held its monthly Press Roundtable on June 25 at the Ambassador’s Residence. The subject was Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV). Present at the roundtable were DCM Samuel Brock, USAID Chief of Mission Stephen Haykin, Office of Security Cooperation (OSC) director Colonel Thomas Crowder, PAO Katya Thomas, Political officer Steven Kenoyer, and USAID program officer Allyson Gardner. Brock opened the event with a statement outlining the problem of SGBV in the DRC, describing its causes and consequences, and expressing the USG’s deeply felt concern and strong commitment to help end violence against women. He noted that this concern and commitment was shared by the highest levels of the U.S. Government.
The floor was then opened to questions from local journalists in attendance. Answers were provided by the panelists, who spoke on their specific areas of expertise, and Sam Brock, who spoke about mission-wide activities and strategic goals. Col. Thomas Crowder described the DIILS program that is building legal capacity and fighting impunity for rapists in the military justice system, and the MedCap program (still in planning stage) which will provide medical interventions on behalf of SBGV survivors. Stephen Haykin and Allyson Gardner outlined USAID’s programs of care provision and treatment services for SGBV survivors, as well as community outreach and awareness activities.
While the press roundtable resulted in wide coverage by the local press, the story is far from over. Embassy Kinshasa plans a wide range of programs and outreach activities to address Sexual and Gender Based Violence.