Women Resist War is a powerful new book by Justine Masika Bihamba, founder and director of our grantee organization Synergie des Femmes pour les Victimes des Violences Sexuelles (SFVS). Bihamba tells her story and the story of women throughout Kivu who survived atrocities and chose to fight back while the world looked away. For 20 years, SFVS has supported victims medically, psychologically, legally, and professionally, helping over 18,000 women and amplifying their voices internationally.

We recently met with Justine at this year’s United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and received urgent updates from the ground:

• Sexual violence continues unchecked, with M23 responsible for the majority of attacks.
• In Goma, basic services have collapsed. Banks are closed, aid is delayed, and most women sleep outside or in cemeteries.
• Of the 4,000 displaced women in Goma, SFVS has been able to evacuate only 250 to safety due to severe funding shortages.
• Armed  groups, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), are kidnapping girls aged 15 to 22 under false job offers and exploiting extreme poverty to radicalize them. 
• SFVS is working tirelessly to provide shelter, prevent radicalization, and maintain programs safely, but resources are critically limited.
• Congolese women are largely excluded from peace talks and often must pay their own way to participate in international dialogues. 

Women Resist War is more than a book—it is a call to action. Read, share, and stand with women resisting war in the DRC. You can also support SFVS directly to protect and assist the 250 women already evacuated and to reach more women in urgent need.

Support SFVS’s Work

Buy Women Resist War by Justine Masika Bihamba