Defense of LGBTI rights


Rainbow Sunrise Mapambazuko (RSM) is an organisation that works for the protection, defines and promotion of LGBTI people in the Bukavu, Kabare and Uvira in the South Kivu in the Democratic of Republic of the Congo (DRC). Identified in the context of the DEFI project, RSM has been a collaborator of AEDH since 2015.

Jacques Kwanza* is a young member of RSM. In his neighbourhood, he is often a target of abuses because he is a homosexual and an activist. At the end of the day, whilst on his way home, he was violently attacked by 6 men who insulted him and blamed him for “implanting homosexuality” in the neighborhood. Beat up, forced to strip and sexually abused, the defender was left on the street with multiple lesions.

Helped by passers-by after two hours, he managed to get back to his organisation to witness his aggression.

AEDH’s Emergency Fund, through the RISK project on the protection of human rights defenders in Kivu, intervened to support Jacques through financial aid to cover substantial and necessary medical costs as well as a three-months relocation in a safer place. The young defender was also supported in his legal proceedings.

The medical care helped Jacques’ recovery. He was able to resume his awareness work on the situation of LGBTI people in the DRC, enforcing the safety measures that were advised by the RISK project team.

Félix Bleton



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