DIILS Congratulates DRC Participant During a Graduation Ceremony.

Two members of the United States Army Reserve (USAR) Legal Command conducted a two week mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), training over one hundred Congolese officers in two separate sessions in Kananga and Bukavu.  The curriculum focused on combating corruption and preserving women’s human rights during armed conflict.  This training was part of an on-going U.S. Department of State project to encourage security-sector reform in the DRC. The project is managed by the U.S. Defense Institute for International Legal Studies (DIILS), based in Newport, RI.

DIILS sent the training team to the Congo at an important time in the country’s development. The team’s focus was to help Congolese military leaders understand the importance of combating corruption and improving conditions in order to attract international development aid and international business investment.

The DIILS seminar also emphasized the human rights of women and girls during times of conflict. The DRC is experiencing an insurgency by armed rebels in several provinces, and conflicts in central Africa over the past twenty years have generated tens of thousands of women and children refugees and have impacted many families.  Consequently, the Congolese officers were very receptive to information about international norms for protecting women and children during conflict.

The learning experience was a two way street for the DIILS team. “Both of us learned much about the challenges faced by the DRC military, and were pleased to see how determined they are to assist their nation to grow in the eyes of the international community and to gain prosperity for their people,” stated the USAR Colonel.

Graduates of Training on The Human Rights of Women and Children.