Winners

One year after German EUFOR-troops helped the people of the DR Congo to hold peaceful elections in Kinshasa, armed groups were still attacking local communities, looting, raping, and kidnapping women and children in Eastern Congo. Birgit Virnich’s work, “Mass Rape as a Weapon of War in Eastern Congo”, tells the story of rape victims who are desperately looking for help at the only hospital in the region. Doctor Claude is on call 24 hours a day for a monthly salary of USD 250. “We have to learn to forgive, otherwise the hate of the militia will end up killing us”, say the rape victims. The report provides deep insight into the strength of the women of Eastern Congo, who bear the brunt of the violence. Birgit has worked on various assignments as a freelance journalist with, among others, Deutsche Welle, BBC, Channel 4, and VISNEWS.