Blog

On Wednesday, December 10, 2025, the Lake Campus of the University of Goma hosted a major academic and civic meeting dedicated to the fight against sexual and gender-based violence (GBV).

Organized as part of the partnership between the University of Goma and ActionAid DRC, this event marked both the closing of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign and the commemoration of International Human Rights Day.

A multidisciplinary panel to question legal protection mechanisms

The session brought together lawyers, legal researchers, organizations engaged in protection against GBV, as well as some survivors. Together, they reflected on the theme: "Legal mechanisms for preventing and reducing incidents of GBV: advances and obstacles".

These discussions allowed for an examination of the various national and international legal frameworks dedicated to the protection of survivors, while highlighting the persistent challenges in their implementation.

At the end of the discussions, participants produced an analysis matrix that identifies the strengths of existing legal instruments, the weaknesses that hinder their full effectiveness, the opportunities to strengthen the protection of survivors, and the threats that still weigh on the prevention and management of sexual and gender-based violence in DRC.

This analysis marks an important step in the pursuit of rigorous scientific reflection and ongoing social mobilization against GBV.

Through this activity, the University of Goma reaffirms its commitment to contributing to the fight against GBV, not only through teaching and research but also by collaborating with community and institutional actors working for the promotion of human rights.