Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from September 29 to October 2, 2025, to meet with peacebuilders and “shine a light” on the “weaponization of rape.” Her visit coincided with the 25th anniversary of Women, Peace, and Security and UN Security Council Resolution 1325. The resolution reaffirms the role of women in peacebuilding, and calls on all parties to protect women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence during conflicts.
Women in the DRC have experienced sexual violence during conflict. On June 16, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said in Geneva that the M23 armed group, Congolese troops, and allied militias had all committed human rights abuses in eastern DRC, with some abuses possibly amounting to war crimes.This was according to OHCHR’s Fact-Finding Mission in the region, which is continuing to investigate other violations of international humanitarian law.
The mission received reports of “horrific” sexual violence by all parties as reprisal against communities and relatives of rivals, as well as different ethnic groups. Almost 40 percent of survivors of gender-based and sexual violence in North and South Kivu are children, with UNICEF estimating that during the most intense phase of the conflict, a child was raped every 30 minutes.
During her visit, the Duchess conversed with UN Peacekeeper ‘Blue Helmets’ from around the world. Sophie heard about MONUSCO’s role in protecting civilians. Women peacebuilders told her about women’s role in conflict resolution, and discussed community resilience and women’s rights advocacy amidst growing threats of more than 120 militias and armed groups. These groups often attack and commit human rights violations against civilians.
The Duchess visited several hospitals, medical centers, and women’s spaces that support survivors of sexual violence. One such place was the Pazni Clinic in Kinshasa, which provides survivors of sexual violence with medical, psychosocial, legal, and socioeconomic support. There, she listened to survivors of sexual violence testify about their experiences. At the clinic, Sophie also met with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Dr. Denis Mukwege, renowned for his work supporting survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. She watched as Dr. Mukwege performed surgery on a five-year old.
Sophie told reporters, “You have to really question yourself and go ‘how can we have reached a point where rape is just accepted as a part of daily life?’
Dr. Mukwege said he was “touched” by the duchess’s visit, and that it sent a message to survivors that “You are human.”
Sophie also spoke to women and girls at the UK-supported Women’s Safe Space in Beni, which helps with psychosocial support and livelihoods training. The Duchess also visited a safe house assisting survivors of a mass rape that occured during a mass escape attempt from Kinshasa’s Makala Central Prison in September 2024. There, Sophie spoke to legal professionals, many of whom themselves have been displaced from eastern DRC, yet are tirelessly continuing to provide legal aid and advocacy.
Another stop on the Duchess’s visit was the Virunga Origins Café, an official partner of Virunga National Park, Africa’s oldest National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the cafe, Sophie learned about how the park provides jobs, champions women’s leadership, generates clean energy, and protects biodiversity and communities living there. The park is now the largest employer in the province of North Kivu.
On the last day of the visit, Sophie, alongside Judith Suminwa, the first woman Prime Minister of DRC, and Dr. Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba, the Minister for Health, met with patients, clinicians and members of civil society at Kintambo General Hospital in Kinshasa. With these groups, she discussed what measures are being taken to improve the national health system.
Keywords: Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC, DR Congo, Kinshasa, Benin, M23, sexual violence, rape, Africa, conflict, conflict resolution, peace
Tara Abhasakun
Tara Abhasakun is Peace News Network (PNN)'s managing editor. She is journalist based in Christchurch, New Zealand, and formerly in Bangkok, Thailand. She has reported on a range of human rights issues involving youth protests in Thailand, as well as arts and culture. Tara's work has appeared in several outlets, including Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.
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