Strengthened Systems of Care for Survivors in DRC
Summary
In 2025, Panzi Foundation, HEAL Africa, and SOFEPADI committed to expanding a coordinated network of holistic care for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) . This commitment focuses on the three provinces most impacted by the conflict: South Kivu, North Kivu, and Ituri. Holistic care includes medical treatment, psychosocial support, legal assistance, and socioeconomic reintegration. Together, the three organizations currently provide this care to roughly 12,000 survivors annually in their respective provinces. Over the next four years, they aim to increase this number to 13,000 per year, reaching a total of 50,000 survivors by 2029. The partners will improve coordination and quality by targeting areas of highest need, standardizing care, and using shared data to guide decisions, ultimately establishing a regional hub of excellence in the global fight to end rape as a weapon of war.
Approach
Together, then Panzi Foundation, HEAL Africa, and SOFEPADI commit to establishing, strengthening, and expanding a coordinated network of holistic care for survivors of sexual violence across the three provinces in eastern DRC most impacted by the conflict. Holistic care has four pillars: (a) medical care; (b) psychosocial support; (c) ; legal assistance; and (d) socio-economic reintegration. It has been designed to address and mitigate the complex cascade of physical, emotional, and economic consequences experienced by survivors and is delivered through One Stop Centers (OSC) , where all four pillars of the model can be accessed under a single roof. The three partners are leading organizations in the provision of holistic care in South Kivu, North Kivu, and Ituri, respectively. However, they are often positioned as competitors for resources, which weakens knowledge sharing and referral systems, impeding sustainability and quality of care for survivors.
Each year, the OSCs operated by these three partners provide holistic care to an estimated 12,000 survivors. Over the next four years the partners will sustain and grow their annual reach to collectively care for 13,000 survivors per year, ultimately reaching a total of 50,000 survivors. During this time, they will strengthen coordination and collective learning to improve access to quality holistic care. This will be done by (1) targeting holistic care delivery to areas of highest need; (2) standardizing the quality of care across sites and referral pathways; and (3) tracking common indicators on holistic care delivery to inform decision-making. By 2029, the three organizations will form a regional hub of excellence and be positioned as leaders in the global movement to end rape as a weapon of war.
Action Plan
To establish a coordinated network of holistic care that can reach 13,000 survivors of sexual violence per year in Eastern DRC, as well as engage communities in the prevention of gender based violence, the three partners will do the following, based an MOU and geography, with Panzi leading coordination:
Year 1: 2026
Map rates of SGBV across the three provinces, identifying areas of need and lowest access.
Define quality standards for holistic care across all network sites, drawing from shared best practices and available evidence.
Reinforce holistic care for 12,000 survivors of sexual violence across the existing One Stop Centers (OSC) network and mobile clinics through refresher trainings for providers and supply chain monitoring.
Year 2: 2027
Grow number of survivors reached with holistic care through targeted mobile clinics, prioritizing areas of need and low access.
Provide holistic care to 12,500 survivors of sexual violence, with 80% accessing at least two pillars of the model (e.g. medical and legal or medical & psychosocial) .
Build out shared tools to track common indicators across the OSC network
Year 3: 2028
Add three additional facilities to the OSC network, one in each province, that assessments show will be able to reach at least 100 survivors per year.
Provide holistic care to 12,500 survivors of sexual violence, with 90% accessing at least two pillars of the model.
Hold regional meetings for all members of the network to review shared data and lessons learned.
Year 4: 2029
Provide ongoing training and quality support to new and existing facilities within the OSC network, increasing targeted mobile clinics and reinforcing referral pathways across the region.
Provide holistic care to 13,000 survivors of sexual violence, with 90% accessing at least two pillars of the model.
Publish report on One Stop Center network approach over four year period.
Background
The eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been embroiled in conflict for nearly 30 years. Data shows that more than 6 million Congolese people have been killed, and currently there are 7.8 million displaced (UNHRC April 2025) and nearly 28 million facing food insecurity (WFP March 2025) . This conflict has been driven and exacerbated by the nation’s vast mineral resources, including cobalt and coltan, which power much of modern technology. Armed militia groups utilize brutal violence – including sexual violence – to gain control over the communities where these lucrative minerals are located. In 2023, the UN Security Council reported 123,000 cases of sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) , with numbers still rising in 2024 and 2025. Victims of these attacks are often women and girls, though men and boys have also been targeted.
To make matters worse, the conflict has escalated dramatically over the last few months. In early 2025, the rebel group M23 captured substantial territory across North and South Kivu, including the provincial capitals, Goma and Bukavu. Under occupation, communities grapple with a climate of fear and precarity, facing commercial bank closures and skyrocketing commodity prices. M23 has continued to clash with the Congolese army and civilian militias on multiple fronts around the region. These clashes and the instability they create have resulted in rape, kidnappings, killings, disappearances, and looting of property. In the first five months of this year, three provinces in eastern DRC saw the majority of cases SGBV: 46,300 in North Kivu, 9,300 in South Kivu, and 12,900 in Ituri – 71% of all cases seen nationally (OCHA, June 2025) .
Progress Update
Partnership Opportunities
Panzi, HEAL Africa, and SOFEPADI, are seeking to mobilize $20 million in support of this coordinated network of care for survivors between January 2026 to December 2029. Panzi also seeks support with the procurement of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Kits, essential for the treatment of survivors who are seen within 72 hours of their assault. It typically sees between 10-30% of survivors in this time window, 100% of whom receive PEP. However, DRC faces massive stock out of PEP Kits following the termination of SGBV supply chain projects funded by USAID. Panzi and its partners will need dedicated support from global actors to both rebuild this supply chain amidst the growing need for PEP Kits. Information from our sites across the region, tracked through a shared database, can help to ensure accurate forecasting and facilitate joint advocacy.,In the face of a protracted conflict, Panzi has provided essential care and compassion for survivors for over 25 years, improving their model and growing their reach to serve the most marginalized.
Since 1999, they have treated 87,000 survivors of sexual violence and performed surgeries for nearly 28,000 women with gynecological injuries. At Panzi Hospital, they have a 97% success rate for prolapse surgeries and an 86% success rate for their fistula surgeries. A 2022 survey found that 80% of survivors report satisfaction and improved well-being after treatment with the holistic model.
Through this coordinated network of holistic care, established with partners HEAL Africa and SOFEPADI, Panzi will generate improved data on the humanitarian crisis in the DRC and additional evidence on the impact of the holistic model. Learnings from this partnership can be leveraged by other actors are working to address conflict-related sexual violence around the world.