DRC: SMS to rescue women and girls survivors of violence

During a two-day workshop held 19 to 20 September 2009, survivors of violence, human rights advocates and ICT stakeholders discussed the potential use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to combat violence against women and girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Organised by the young feminist organisation “Si Jeunesse Savait” and the Association for Progressive Communications Women’s Networking Support Programme (APC WNSP), this meeting helped to define the role of ICTs in advancing women’s rights in DRC.

DRC has about 45 million inhabitants and it is one of the countries in Africa where many telecommunications operators share the market. Mobile telephony is experiencing rapid penetration, in contrast to the internet, which remains inaccessible in rural areas.

Far from being on the margins of this technological revolution, women’s rights and human rights organisations have gradually adopted the mobile phone as a communication tool. In their struggle to protect women’s rights the mobile phone is also seen as a tool to create alerts for quick relief for women in unsafe situations.
Participants noted that inequalities in access to ICTs remain. The lack of electricity and high cost of equipment were cited as obstacles.

A female delegate of SOFEPADI, a women’s organisation working in post-conflict areas in eastern DRC, was one of several participants who cited cases of phone threats by unknown callers. Usually the abusers make threats over the phone before going into action.
In addition to threatening anonymous phone calls, Bluetooth, MMS, and SMS are used by perpetrators. Private photos are disseminated through cell phones without the consent of young women, usually in universities.

Violence against women and girls using ICT can sometimes make them afraid of ICTs. However, participants agreed that the project “Strengthening the strategic use of ICT by women to end violence against women and girls” in DRC should work to educate and demonstrate how ICTs can be positive for women and girls.
It is certainly not a question of being afraid of technology or getting turned off by it. Participants agreed on taking control of technology to find solutions according to their local context.
Thus, participants said ICTs could help break the silence in situations of violence, and to fight for the punishment of perpetrators. Media are good channels to publicly denounce violence against women and girls. At the event, creative experiences of radio production and broadcast were shared, for example where a radio with no assigned frequency was able to transmit to women market vendors, who frequently fall outside the reach of existing support programmes.

Participants made concrete proposals to use SMS’ potential for early warning systems. The creation of an SMS alert network could help victims of violence in time to save them from further harm. Participants testified that human rights activists have alerted MONUC several times via SMS to rescue women in dangerous situations.

Mobile phones costs have now decreased and use has become very popular. An SMS alert system would have the advantage of reducing communication costs while reaching a large number of human rights defenders.

However, it was found that abuse victims often don’t know what procedures to follow and where to go if a problem occurs. Participants suggested that data on all organisations and government agencies working to end violence against women and girls be posted on a web page and in print format. They felt mobile companies should be lobbied to send such information to all subscribers via SMS.

Finally, collaboration among human rights groups and ICT-related organisations was encouraged so that the use of mobile phones and other ICTs to end violence against women bears fruit in the Democratic Republic of Congo. For many it is a new field to which they would commit if they could count on training and support.