The National Committee for UNICEF in Iceland has received ISK 8 million allocated by Iceland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs towards emergency relief in the eastern part of The Democratic Republic of Congo. According to Visir.is, the support will fund projects that help children who have experienced sexual violence and also to aid women and girls who have been raped or sexually abused by soldiers in their country.
Right from the beginning of the campaign 10 years ago, sexual violence against women and girls has been used as a military tactic by armed forces. In a formal statement, UNICEF in Iceland said that women and girls have been systematically raped in order to degrade them and break up families and communities. UNICEF estimate that there are more than 100,000 rape victims and that over half of them are children.
The financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also help with the development of a refuge for women and girls, which have been raped but cannot go back to their families. In the refuge the women and girls will receive healthcare, education and the opportunity to recover – but above all of this, care and safety.