Help on the Way for Women in the Congo

In a country like Congo, where there tends to be so many problems involving health, education, and governmental issues, there is times when important problems are overlooked.  This could never be more true in the case of the mistreatment of women and girls in the Congo, where are unprecedented number of women and girls are raped every year.  Since in many regions of the Congo war runs rampant and authority is either nonexistent on unfair towards women, there is no one to protect women from crimes such as rape.  That is way countries from all over the world have come together to try to make sure that life is safe for everyone.   “The Declaration on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, endorsed by the G8 nations -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Britain and the United States -- commits them to taking greater steps to help the victims of sexual violence in war, prevent further attacks and hold perpetrators to account”.  The G8 nations are looking to eliminate the side effects of war that young girls and women throughout countries like the Congo feel.  This article is similar to the article that we read earlier in the semester about how violence towards women in the Congo has become essentially unregulated and is let happen because there is no authority to stop it.  Backed by celebrities and major countries, the G8 is looking to change that.  Angelina Jolie had this to say regarding the need to implement authority so that women in the Congo do not have to worry about their safety.  "For too long, they have been the forgotten victims of war, responsible for none of the blame but bearing the worst of the pain," she said.  "Foreign ministers: Millions of people have been waiting for the commitments you've just made, and they will be watching to see them implemented”.

  With the G8 implementing policies on how to best eliminate the chance of women being raped in poor countries, it should be a step in the right direction according to the article that we read earlier in the semester.  “Not only is sexual violence more generalized than previously thought, but our findings suggest that future policies and programs should focus on abuse within families and eliminate the acceptance of and impunity surrounding sexual violence nationwide while also maintaining and enhancing efforts to stop militias from perpetrating rape”.  Since it doesn’t appear that there will be any authority that will help decreasing the rates at which women in the Congo are being assaulted, it appears necessary that a group like the G8 steps in to help out.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/11/world/uk-g8-sexual-violence/index.html?iref=allsearch
https://uab-bblearn.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-1487963-dt-content-rid-8108319_1/courses/Sp.2013_1_.HE.404.QL.32775/Volence%20and%20the%20congo.pdf