Sign Petitions to Make their Voices Heard
Signing Petitions shows the government and companies that change needs to happen. Without supporters, nothing is going to change. People in the Democratic Republic of Congo need people like you to urge their government and ours to start standing up for them. Click on the link of the name to sign the petitions.
RAISE Hope for Congo
This petition is sent to 21 countries who use the most conflict materials in their cell phones and computers.
The letter states:
I am writing today with a pledge to purchase your conflict free electronics product once it becomes available. I want the death, rape and violence in Congo being driven by the illicit trade in conflict minerals to stop. If your company leads to produce a verifiably conflict-free product, I as a consumer will find your product far more attractive.
If you take conflict out of your electronics, I will buy it.
Sincerely,
The letter states:
I am writing today with a pledge to purchase your conflict free electronics product once it becomes available. I want the death, rape and violence in Congo being driven by the illicit trade in conflict minerals to stop. If your company leads to produce a verifiably conflict-free product, I as a consumer will find your product far more attractive.
If you take conflict out of your electronics, I will buy it.
Sincerely,
This is a petition that tells companies that people understand that the phones might be a little more difficult to make, but it is more important to stop funding the war in the DRC than to make easy phones. For more information, click here for an informative video.
Stop the Silence
This petition is sent to President Joseph Kabila, the president of the DRC.
It states:
Dear Mr. President:
I am writing to express my concern for the use of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a weapon of war and a means to humiliate and terrorize women, men, boys, and girls and entire communities. The agreements to end the war have not ended sexual violence, and the future security of women and girls remains in jeopardy.
I applaud your efforts to prevent and to end the use of sexual violence against women and girls, and urge you to take efforts in the following areas:
Ensure that there is no impunity for sexual violence.
I urge you to strengthen the judicial system and to remove impediments women may face in gaining access to justice. Survivors of this crime face numerous obstacles in securing justice through the courts and receive little to no support for the psychosocial and physical consequences of rape and other forms of sexual violence.
Ensure that the State armed forces and police do not perpetrate sexual violence against women and girls.
I urge you to ensure that the armed forces and the police do not commit sexual violence--and that commanders have oversight of and are held responsible for the actions of their soldiers and police force.
Implement national laws that protect and empower women and girls.
I urge you to show leadership in the fulfillment of the guarantees of equality between men and women under the new Constitution and the implementation of the national law that addresses rape and other forms of sexual violence, passed by Parliament in June 2006. Also, review and reform all laws that are discriminatory towards women and girls.
I support your prioritizing the end to sexual violence in the DRC, as there can be no peace without security for women and girls.
Sincerely,
(Sign your name here)
It states:
Dear Mr. President:
I am writing to express my concern for the use of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a weapon of war and a means to humiliate and terrorize women, men, boys, and girls and entire communities. The agreements to end the war have not ended sexual violence, and the future security of women and girls remains in jeopardy.
I applaud your efforts to prevent and to end the use of sexual violence against women and girls, and urge you to take efforts in the following areas:
Ensure that there is no impunity for sexual violence.
I urge you to strengthen the judicial system and to remove impediments women may face in gaining access to justice. Survivors of this crime face numerous obstacles in securing justice through the courts and receive little to no support for the psychosocial and physical consequences of rape and other forms of sexual violence.
Ensure that the State armed forces and police do not perpetrate sexual violence against women and girls.
I urge you to ensure that the armed forces and the police do not commit sexual violence--and that commanders have oversight of and are held responsible for the actions of their soldiers and police force.
Implement national laws that protect and empower women and girls.
I urge you to show leadership in the fulfillment of the guarantees of equality between men and women under the new Constitution and the implementation of the national law that addresses rape and other forms of sexual violence, passed by Parliament in June 2006. Also, review and reform all laws that are discriminatory towards women and girls.
I support your prioritizing the end to sexual violence in the DRC, as there can be no peace without security for women and girls.
Sincerely,
(Sign your name here)
Letter to Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton
This letter encourages Hillary Clinton to make the problems in the DRC more noticed in Washington. The United States already has passed PL 109-456 which is dedicated to helping in the DRC. People are urging her to take a stand, and enforce change.
