There comes a time when we must all make the decision to stand up for something. We've decided to stand up for the human rights and safety of women around the world. In too many places, women are in danger. Targeting women is nothing new, but the extent to which it is being used in conflict zones around the world today has greatly escalated, particularly in the last few years.
As young people in an increasingly smaller global community we need to take it upon ourselves to DO something, to be BRAVE, to STAND up, and to BELIEVE that our actions – however small – add up to an unstoppable tide of change.
Our team works tirelessly to spread awareness of the issues of violence and injustice facing thousands of women around the world and to develop innovative, sustainable and meaningful projects in countries where it is DANGEROUS to be a woman.
Some wars make headlines; some do not. In the messy aftermath of the Rwandan civil war, refugees fled to the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire). As many as 100,000 of the Interahamwe, a militia partially responsible for the Rwandan genocide, crossed the border to avoid prosecution for acts against humanity. Thousands of women who have been raped and mutilated in the DRC can attest that the momentum to kill and maim is still in full swing despite a peace agreement signed in 2003. Nestled in the hills along the Rwandan border, Panzi Hospital stands as the last hope for many of Congo's victims of sexual violence.
"Women in War Zones" dives intimately into the lives of two young women who become sisters during their time of treatment at Panzi hospital. Helene and Bijoux, 22 and 13, support each other in their fight and struggle to maintain hope and a sense of dignity as they come to grips with their violent and tragic past. The women, along with the staff of the hospital, look for hope in each other, God, and the upcoming presidential elections — the first in over 40 years.
