The Greatest Silence—Rape in the Congo

The award-winning documentary film The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo, directed by Lisa F. Jackson, has been used by nongovernmental organizations internationally and locally as a tool to advocate on the problem of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and to accelerate actions to end the violence perpetrated against women and girls. The film comprehensively examines the conflict from the perspective of the victims who are most affected, and captures the testimony of other actors involved (the UN Mission to the DRC, local human rights advocates, and the militias committing the rape and other atrocities).

View a trailer for The Greatest Silence.

Reception

The International Women's Program and Africa Regional Director's Office of the Open Society Institute and Women Make Movies hosted a reception, film screening, and panel discussion for The Greatest Silence.

At this event, the film director, a Congolese women's rights activist Mossi Dokunu Mata, and one of the film's subjects—Bernard Kalume—discussed what they view as causes of the violence, and what steps must be taken by the government and international community to stop the human rights abuse and to bring justice to the women on the ground.

Speakers

• Lisa F. Jackson, Film Director (USA)
• Mossi Dokunu, Congolese Women’s Rights Activist, Association Africaine des Droits de l’Homme (Democratic Republic of Congo)
• Bernard Kalume, UN Mission in the DRC, Liaison and Translator
• Maryam Elahi, Director, OSI International Women's Program (introduction and moderator)
• Debra Zimmerman, Executive Director of Women Make Movies (introduction)