A delegation from Ukraine visited Panzi hospital in Bukavu to learn about Denis Mukwege's model for caring for survivors of sexual violence. The delegation arrived in Panzi on Monday.

"After the war in our country, we saw an increase in the number of women survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. That's why we came here because for us it is very important to learn from our Congolese friends this holistic model of Panzi and to apply it in Ukraine. For us it is very important to deepen our knowledge" said Vasyl Lutsk, head of the national social service in Ukraine.

The delegation included representatives of several members of the government, including the representative of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence, and the representative of the Ministry of Public Health.

"We share a common history or experience and I believe that it is international solidarity to combat the barbarity in which we live unjustly where women's bodies have become a battlefield," said Denis Mukwege, referring to the aggression of the DRC by Rwanda and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

"When we see the history of Ukraine, its invasion, the way women are treated, this history is very close to the Congolese history. I think that by putting the experiences together, we could better help women whether they are Ukrainian or Congolese," added Denis Mukwege.

Since 2018, the Panzi Foundation has been present in Ukraine to support survivors of sexual violence.

"This exchange visit is not the beginning, it is part of the path that we have been on since 2018 in Ukraine and we hope that there will be other exchange visits afterwards," said Dominique Vidale Fleza of the Panzi Foundation.

Last May, a delegation from Iraq , involved in caring for survivors of sexual violence in times of conflict, also visited Denis Mukwege's Panzi hospital to replicate this model.

Panzi's holistic care model is based on 4 pillars: medical care with the management of bodily injuries and infections; psychosocial support consisting of psychological support to help victims overcome trauma and rebuild their self-esteem; socio-economic reintegration which is vocational training and assistance in the creation of income-generating activities to promote financial autonomy; and finally legal support to assert victims' rights and fight against impunity.