A little more than a month ago we were commemorating International Women’s Day, with so many plans, events, campaigns and actions to keep changing women’s lives for the better, including women in the DRC with this campaign of ours. Little did we know that the Covid-19 pandemic was upon us and that it would end up changing everyone’s lives around the globe, although not necessarily as we were expecting or striving for. But we are where we are. 

We are aware that everyone’s attention is on the Coronavirus, figuring out how to make the best of the lockdown, dealing with travel bans, taking care of their loved ones, and doing what they can to survive. 

However, we are also concerned because the pandemic doesn’t cancel other problems happening and, in fact, it’s making some of them worse. You must have heard by now that gender-based domestic violence has multiplied around the world. The conflict in the DRC and what women are facing there is no exception, and it is indeed getting worse. There are thousands of displaced people huddled outside the UN base camps, without shelter, with food already scarce, surrounded by militia groups and therefore with nowhere to go. Infectious diseases were already spreading, now imagine what will happen if someone gets the Coronavirus. 

In this already horrific context, a few days ago, two women went out of that area to forage for food for their children, but they did not come back. At least not alive. They were raped, mutilated and murdered by Mai Mai rebels, only because they belong to a tribe they are seeking to eradicate; and the way it was done was only because they’re women. This is a genocide, and the international community is both silent and refusing to listen, much less to take action. 

Those women had a name: Nyamwiza Francine and Nyamutarutwa Jolie. In their name and in their honor, please don’t let our Congolese sisters’ voices drown in the Covid-19 ocean of noise and uncertainty. They still need us, they still need you. We ask you to please keep sharing our petition, our video and this update. Here’s more about what happened. 

Here are some ideas for tweets you can help sending to the UN: 

> Amid the #COVID19 crisis, a genocide is worsening in the DRC. Now more than ever, we ask you to #ListenToDRCWomen and provide urgent protection and humanitarian aid, @SRSG_MONUSCO @MONUSCO @antonioguterres change.org/listentoDRCwomen

> The world lost Nyamwiza Francine & Nyamutarutwa Jolie to Mai Mai rebels in the DRC only because they’re women of a certain tribe. This is genocide and @MONUSCO is not providing protection nor humanitarian aid amid the #COVID19 crisis change.org/listentoDRCwomen 

In gratitude,

Adele & Neema