From Pain to Empowerment? : Impact of an empowerment program for survivors of sexual violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on attitudes towards female leadership

Abstract

City of Joy Brief Points is an intensive six-month support program for survivors of sexual violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that aims to transform vulnerable women into community leaders. What transformations do we see in participants from the time of starting the program to the end of the program? Systematic survey results indicate that the women display significant changes in their attitudes and knowledge about women’s empowerment and leadership, indicating that the program has a strong immediate effect on changing the participants’ views on female leadership. However, further research is needed on the degree to which – and for whom – these positive changes endure after the women re-enter their home communities