November 14, 2023 • 8 mins
Today we spotlight journalist, broadcaster and activist out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Julienne Lusenge.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hey, this is Annie and Samantha and welcome to Stefan
ever told your prediction of iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
And welcome back to another feminist around the world. And
today we are talking about the work and activism of
Julian Lusinghai and LUCINAI is a journalist, broadcaster and activist
out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and she
has become a leader in the country as her work
has earned her numerous accolades and titles. And as per usual,
when we talk about people international people, we are trying
(00:42):
our damn dists. I feel like this is said on
everyone and just in case you're new, we are trying
our best with the names and the countries. It's really
hard when you are American centric and they don't think.
I guess the internet is like, you don't need to
know this because we can rarely find the pronunciations. So
bear with us. If it's not correct, and you know
(01:04):
the correct pronunciation, please let us know with kindness, because
we do want to learn. We need a whole like
library so that people can have that too. If one
day who can build it up, I'd be a great resource, right,
amazing because you know, trying to remember people to get
people's names, and then countries, and then small areas and
then all the things.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Y'all.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
It's difficult. So, like I said, we're trying our best.
But if you have the actual correct pronunciation of anything,
please let us know. We would love that and maybe
we can again bank it somehow and then put it
as a resource as an idea for future times. Yes so,
But before all of the titles and accolades came, Lucingey
(01:45):
started out as a journalist in the Eastern DRC. Born
in Watsa, or the Congolese providence of Awele, she was
raised by strong parents who taught her to fight for
justice and speak her mind. She told the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative.
My father mother taught me to speak out and to
defend my ideas. I grew up in a family where
it was only natural for my mom and dad to
(02:06):
talk to each other, even if they didn't agree. From childhood,
my parents taught me to fight against injustice, not to
see others suffer and go away.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
This led to her career, where she first started with
a community radio station in nineteen seventy eight. There she
would begin her time collecting stories around her community she
recalled to Aurora. Being a journalist gave me access to
local villages in a more intimate way. Women knew me
and trusted me. I saw glaring inequalities, a woman who
(02:34):
did not dare speak just because she was in front
of a man, or the traditional chief, Women who were
abused but who could not talk about it for fear
of further violence. I thought to myself, if I have
had the opportunity to be educated and have the opportunity
to speak, why not continue to help other women speak
for themselves? And she would continue to collect stories of
(02:56):
injustice and inequalities of the women in her country and
made sure to give voices to those who couldn't tell
their stories themselves.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
So she goes on in her interview saying the DRC
my home has been a place of conflict for decades.
I saw my neighboring province of Ituri dissolve into conflict
in nineteen ninety seven, when the fault lines between ethnic
groups were exploited by warlords and community leaders. Being ignored
due to my ethnicity in places I had once been
welcomed was deeply painful, but it also deep in my
(03:28):
empathy for those I had connected with for so many years.
We started to receive shocking reports of armed groups raping
women in the communities. It was too much. I had
to get involved. I began to document cases and challenge
local leaders of armed groups. I begged them to stop
using violence against women as a weapon of war. This
is how he became known in the international community the
(03:48):
quote rape capital of the world. I knew that I
could not could not rest until my beloved country was
known differently.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
And it was in two thousand that she and seven
other journalists came together to start the Women's Solidarity for
Inclusive Peace and Development or SOOFEPADI. And here's some information
about their organization from their websites. They work to promote
and defend the specific rights of women and girls. They
aim for a Congo in which women and girls have
(04:18):
the same access to basic social rights as men. Their
services include prevention and treatment of gender based violence and abuse,
assisting them legally, medically, and psychologically. They also continue in
working with these survivors to train them for trades and skills.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Here's a bit more information thanks to Wikipedia. The group
came together to bring the issues of gender based violences
to the attention of international organizations working in the region
included the United Nations. Their plan was to assist survivors
covering from trauma, helping them to navigate the judicial system
and bring the propartrators of sexual assault to justice.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
And also from the Aurora interview quote, its goal is
to make sure the Congolese government and the UN recognize
the devastation of rape and its use as a weapon
of war and to support the survivors of sexual violence.
Part of Soofepadi is a hospital and mobile clinic providing
holistic medical and psychological care to survivors of sexual violence.
(05:16):
In twenty ten to twenty twenty, the medical center received
and treated six two hundred and eighty four people, including
five hundred and sixty seven internally displaced people. Sofepadi also
encourages socioeconomic reintegration with income generating activities, apprenticeships and school reintegration,
(05:37):
and provides the survivors with legal advice and representation in court.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
And With this organization, Lusinghay also launched the Fund for
Congolese Women or the FFC, which helps secure funding for
congose women's rights groups and also has partner to start
the Media Matters for Women organization which focuses on quote
rudging the digital divide for isolated women and girls in poor,
remote communities in Africa who like access to information about
(06:02):
their rights and are at risk for gender based violence
and deepening poverty.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
And of course with all of this, she has been
ampointed to different leadership positions to continue to advocate for
her community, including by the World Health Organization in twenty
twenty to investigate claims of sexual exportation and abuse by
aid workers, being in charge of the critical issues of Women,
peace and security, good governance, democracy, elections and Human Rights
(06:28):
for the High Panel during the twenty twenty DRC presidency.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Right and with all this, she has been given many
accolades and awards, including in twenty twenty she was recognized
by the United Nations as the first of twenty Women
to Watch for her advocacy work. In twenty twenty one,
she was the Aurora Laureate the twenty eighteen International Women's
Rights Award for the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy,
(06:53):
and she was given the French Government Award for Human
Rights in twenty twelve. So she has done a lot
and continues to do a lot. She was a really
big advocate and worker and leader for the DRC during
the pandemic. And we know there's a lot happening in
the Congo region right now and we don't want to
neglect that.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Obviously.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
We're trying to bring out as many conversations about these
amazing women who are working during times of conflict. Yeah,
I think you might see a pattern. Yeah, and we
do want to keep talking about it. There's not much
we can do, but we can keep talking about the
individuals who are doing so much during such a harsh time.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Absolutely, and as always, listeners, if you have any suggestions, resources,
follow ups, Jess let us know. You can email us
at stephanieamoms Stuff at iHeartMedia dot com. You can find
us on Twitter at momstap podcast, or on Instagram and
TikTok at Stuff. We've Never told you. We have a
tea public store and we have a book that you
(07:54):
can get wherever you get your books. Thanks as always
to our super producer Christina, our executive force through Maya,
and your contributor Joey. Thank you and thanks to you
for listening. Stuff will Never Told you a production of iHeartRadio.
For more podcasts from My Heart Radio, you can check
out the heart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or where you
listen to your favorite shows.
Hey, this is Annie and Samantha and welcome to Stefan
ever told your prediction of iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
And welcome back to another feminist around the world. And
today we are talking about the work and activism of
Julian Lusinghai and LUCINAI is a journalist, broadcaster and activist
out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and she
has become a leader in the country as her work
has earned her numerous accolades and titles. And as per usual,
when we talk about people international people, we are trying
(00:42):
our damn dists. I feel like this is said on
everyone and just in case you're new, we are trying
our best with the names and the countries. It's really
hard when you are American centric and they don't think.
I guess the internet is like, you don't need to
know this because we can rarely find the pronunciations. So
bear with us. If it's not correct, and you know
(01:04):
the correct pronunciation, please let us know with kindness, because
we do want to learn. We need a whole like
library so that people can have that too. If one
day who can build it up, I'd be a great resource, right,
amazing because you know, trying to remember people to get
people's names, and then countries, and then small areas and
then all the things.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Y'all.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
It's difficult. So, like I said, we're trying our best.
But if you have the actual correct pronunciation of anything,
please let us know. We would love that and maybe
we can again bank it somehow and then put it
as a resource as an idea for future times. Yes so,
But before all of the titles and accolades came, Lucingey
(01:45):
started out as a journalist in the Eastern DRC. Born
in Watsa, or the Congolese providence of Awele, she was
raised by strong parents who taught her to fight for
justice and speak her mind. She told the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative.
My father mother taught me to speak out and to
defend my ideas. I grew up in a family where
it was only natural for my mom and dad to
(02:06):
talk to each other, even if they didn't agree. From childhood,
my parents taught me to fight against injustice, not to
see others suffer and go away.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
This led to her career, where she first started with
a community radio station in nineteen seventy eight. There she
would begin her time collecting stories around her community she
recalled to Aurora. Being a journalist gave me access to
local villages in a more intimate way. Women knew me
and trusted me. I saw glaring inequalities, a woman who
(02:34):
did not dare speak just because she was in front
of a man, or the traditional chief, Women who were
abused but who could not talk about it for fear
of further violence. I thought to myself, if I have
had the opportunity to be educated and have the opportunity
to speak, why not continue to help other women speak
for themselves? And she would continue to collect stories of
(02:56):
injustice and inequalities of the women in her country and
made sure to give voices to those who couldn't tell
their stories themselves.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
So she goes on in her interview saying the DRC
my home has been a place of conflict for decades.
I saw my neighboring province of Ituri dissolve into conflict
in nineteen ninety seven, when the fault lines between ethnic
groups were exploited by warlords and community leaders. Being ignored
due to my ethnicity in places I had once been
welcomed was deeply painful, but it also deep in my
(03:28):
empathy for those I had connected with for so many years.
We started to receive shocking reports of armed groups raping
women in the communities. It was too much. I had
to get involved. I began to document cases and challenge
local leaders of armed groups. I begged them to stop
using violence against women as a weapon of war. This
is how he became known in the international community the
(03:48):
quote rape capital of the world. I knew that I
could not could not rest until my beloved country was
known differently.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
And it was in two thousand that she and seven
other journalists came together to start the Women's Solidarity for
Inclusive Peace and Development or SOOFEPADI. And here's some information
about their organization from their websites. They work to promote
and defend the specific rights of women and girls. They
aim for a Congo in which women and girls have
(04:18):
the same access to basic social rights as men. Their
services include prevention and treatment of gender based violence and abuse,
assisting them legally, medically, and psychologically. They also continue in
working with these survivors to train them for trades and skills.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Here's a bit more information thanks to Wikipedia. The group
came together to bring the issues of gender based violences
to the attention of international organizations working in the region
included the United Nations. Their plan was to assist survivors
covering from trauma, helping them to navigate the judicial system
and bring the propartrators of sexual assault to justice.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
And also from the Aurora interview quote, its goal is
to make sure the Congolese government and the UN recognize
the devastation of rape and its use as a weapon
of war and to support the survivors of sexual violence.
Part of Soofepadi is a hospital and mobile clinic providing
holistic medical and psychological care to survivors of sexual violence.
(05:16):
In twenty ten to twenty twenty, the medical center received
and treated six two hundred and eighty four people, including
five hundred and sixty seven internally displaced people. Sofepadi also
encourages socioeconomic reintegration with income generating activities, apprenticeships and school reintegration,
(05:37):
and provides the survivors with legal advice and representation in court.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
And With this organization, Lusinghay also launched the Fund for
Congolese Women or the FFC, which helps secure funding for
congose women's rights groups and also has partner to start
the Media Matters for Women organization which focuses on quote
rudging the digital divide for isolated women and girls in poor,
remote communities in Africa who like access to information about
(06:02):
their rights and are at risk for gender based violence
and deepening poverty.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
And of course with all of this, she has been
ampointed to different leadership positions to continue to advocate for
her community, including by the World Health Organization in twenty
twenty to investigate claims of sexual exportation and abuse by
aid workers, being in charge of the critical issues of Women,
peace and security, good governance, democracy, elections and Human Rights
(06:28):
for the High Panel during the twenty twenty DRC presidency.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Right and with all this, she has been given many
accolades and awards, including in twenty twenty she was recognized
by the United Nations as the first of twenty Women
to Watch for her advocacy work. In twenty twenty one,
she was the Aurora Laureate the twenty eighteen International Women's
Rights Award for the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy,
(06:53):
and she was given the French Government Award for Human
Rights in twenty twelve. So she has done a lot
and continues to do a lot. She was a really
big advocate and worker and leader for the DRC during
the pandemic. And we know there's a lot happening in
the Congo region right now and we don't want to
neglect that.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Obviously.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
We're trying to bring out as many conversations about these
amazing women who are working during times of conflict. Yeah,
I think you might see a pattern. Yeah, and we
do want to keep talking about it. There's not much
we can do, but we can keep talking about the
individuals who are doing so much during such a harsh time.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Absolutely, and as always, listeners, if you have any suggestions, resources,
follow ups, Jess let us know. You can email us
at stephanieamoms Stuff at iHeartMedia dot com. You can find
us on Twitter at momstap podcast, or on Instagram and
TikTok at Stuff. We've Never told you. We have a
tea public store and we have a book that you
(07:54):
can get wherever you get your books. Thanks as always
to our super producer Christina, our executive force through Maya,
and your contributor Joey. Thank you and thanks to you
for listening. Stuff will Never Told you a production of iHeartRadio.
For more podcasts from My Heart Radio, you can check
out the heart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or where you
listen to your favorite shows.
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