Overstretched and underfunded, the humanitarian response for the influx of DRC refugees into Uganda is struggling to meet the large basic needs. This Inter-Agency Rapid Gender Analysis and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) assessment was conducted with the objective of understanding the gender dimensions of the crisis, and needs and vulnerabilities of the refugees in order to inform a more gender responsive humanitarian response. In particular, it aimed to identify the specific GBV risks and vulnerabilities facing the affected population, and provide targeted recommendations to both CARE and other humanitarian actors on how to address these gaps and vulnerabilities.
GBV is a daily reality in Eastern DRC – both within and outside of the ongoing conflicts. Sexual violence has been a longstanding weapon of war used by parties to the conflicts and, increasingly, this sexual violence has extended through to every-day perpetration by civilians. This violence is situated within a society with deeply rooted discriminatory gender norms, in which women suffer entrenched inequality in all spheres of life and where a man’s worth is largely based on his capacity to provide for and protect his family. The sustained conflicts within the country have resulted in decreasing opportunities for men to perform this role, similarly so in displacement in Uganda, where livelihood opportunities are severely diminished.
This assessment found that in conflict, in transit, and in displacement in Uganda, the Congolese refugee population is facing numerous highly traumatic forms of human rights abuses, including various forms of GBV. In the conflict in DRC, sexual violence is systematically perpetrated against women and girls; and kidnapping, physical assault, torture and massacres are used against men and boys. Women and girls often face a compounded risk of additional sexual violence during flight.