UNA-ORLANDO - Congo and the African Great Lakes Region

CONGO AND THE AFRICAN GREAT LAKES REGION

The human rights situation across the Democratic Republic of Congo remains dire, with more than 5.2 million people internally displaced and nearly a quarter of the population in severe food insecurity. Significant human rights issues included: unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings; forced disappearances; torture and cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary detention; political prisoners or detainees. The African Great Lakes are a series of freshwater lakes constituting the part of the Rift Valley lakes in and around the East African Rift. Recently, the lakes have been heavily polluted by chemicals and overfishing caused dramatic consequences.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LEARNING RESOURCES

Background

Women's Rights in Congo

The African Great Lakes

Militias and violence

LEARNING RESOURCES

Background

Democratic Republic of the Congo | Culture, History, & PeopleGeography and history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with maps, statistics, and a survey of its people, economy, and government.

Timeline: The Democratic Republic of Congo crisis at a glanceTo understand the current DRC crisis, you need to know how we got to where we are. Here is 500 years of DRC history, at a glance.

The Great Lakes - The Indigenous Peoples of Africa Co-ordinating CommitteeTHE GREAT LAKES WHO ARE THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE GREAT LAKES? IIndigenous peoples in the Great Lakes region are current and former hunter-foragers living in the rainforest, collectively known as ‘Pygmies’. Pygmy is a colonial name with negative connotations. In local languages, indigenous ‘Pygmies’ are known by their ethnic names, the Batwa and Bambuti … The Great Lakes Read More »

African Great Lakes - Wikipedia

Women's Rights in Congo

Where we are : Eastern and Southern Africa : Democratic Republic of CongoDecades of armed conflict have led to the deaths of over 2 million civilians and estimates suggest over 1 million women have been raped. Though articles 5, 14 and 15 of the DRC constitution establish a legal basis for equality and equity policies, women currently occupy only 7.2% of positions at the

DR Congo: New Findings on Prison Mass Rape

IIs Emmanuel Weyi "the change" the DRC needs? - Africa AgendaThe tumultuous days lurk in the rear-view even as the country charges forward in a new era of elections and democracy.

The African Great Lakes

The African Great Lakes are important sources of fishes and water for domestic use, are used as avenues of transport, and receive agricultural, domestic and industrial effluents and atmospheric residues. Some of the lakes have been invaded by the water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes. Agricultural activities, deforestation and devegetation of the catchment areas have increased siltation, and led to loss of suitable habitats and biodiversity

Bringing the freshwater expertise of the Midwest to the African Great Lakes The North American Great Lakes region has some of the world’s leading experts on freshwater issues. A new nonprofit wants to share this expertise with…

Danger Above and Below the Surface: Pollution Threatens Africa’s Explosive Lake KivuLake Kivu is one of Africa’s Great Lakes, the series of water bodies that constitute the Rift Valley, where tectonic forces are slowly pulling Eastern Africa apart from the rest of the continent.

Militias and violence

World Report 2020: Rights Trends in Democratic Republic of CongoFelix Tshisekedi was sworn in as president on January 24, 2019, following long-delayed and disputed national elections, marred by widespread irregularities, voter suppression, violence, and interference from armed groups. More than a million Congolese were unable to vote in the presidential election because voting in three areas was postponed to March 2019, officially because of security and concerns over an Ebola outbreak in the east.

Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo | Global Conflict TrackerLearn about the world's top hotspots with this interactive Global Conflict Tracker from the Center for Preventive Action at the Council on Foreign Relations.

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