Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege has condemned the systematic use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), calling for urgent international intervention to end the atrocities.

Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, Mukwege described a “dramatic situation” unfolding in North Kivu, where his hospital has documented over 10,000 cases of sexual violence. “Thirty to thirty-five percent of victims are children,” he warned, stressing that targeting minors crosses “every possible red line.”

Mukwege, founder of Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, has spent over two decades treating survivors of rape, many of whom are victims of armed groups fighting over Congo’s vast mineral wealth. His work has placed him at the forefront of global efforts to end gender-based violence in conflict zones.

In his Strasbourg address, Mukwege urged European lawmakers to push for peace negotiations and direct intervention in Congo’s escalating humanitarian crisis. The region, devastated by ongoing fighting between militias, remains one of the worst-affected areas in Africa.

Mukwege shared the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize with Yazidi activist Nadia Murad, a survivor of ISIS sexual slavery, reinforcing his advocacy for survivors of wartime atrocities.

As violence in the DRC continues, Mukwege’s call for action grows louder, demanding justice and protection for vulnerable populations trapped in conflict.

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