As the March 23rd Movement (M23) insurgency rages in eastern Congo, the country is once again gripped by a conflict echoing the wars that devastated it in the late 1990s and early 2000s. M23, a militia group with roots in previous Congolese rebellions and alleged backing from neighbouring powers, has further destabilized a region scarred by decades of unrest.
Women have borne the brunt of escalating violence. Over the past two years, more than 1.7 million civilians have been uprooted by brutal fighting, with the majority now sheltered in squalid and unprotected displacement camps.
Yet, even in this relentless cycle of conflict and militarization, women are far from passive victims. Some have taken up arms and charged toward the front lines themselves, claiming to defend their communities. Others have given birth not far from the same battlefields. Many are counselling victims of sexual violence, while advocating tirelessly for peace.
Reporting from displacement camps, maternity wards and paramilitary bases, journalist Sophie Neiman will explore the myriad challenges facing women in the ongoing crisis in eastern Congo—and how they are responding. Through a series of previously untold stories, Women and War in Eastern Congo will honor the resilience and agency of activists and survivors, using their voices to illuminate a path toward stability.
