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Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Denis Mukwege Inspired by the Women He Treats
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The birth of the #MeToo movement and the awarding of the Nobel Prize to he and Iraqi Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad, who has detailed her life as an ISIS sex slave, illustrate that mentalities are slowly beginning to change and that there’s a gradual evolution in mindset, Dr. Mukwege said.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
Having treated more than 50,000 rape victims at Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Dr. Denis Mukwege is known as “the man who mends women.” “The strength of the women I have been treating for more than two decades is what inspires me,” the newly-minted Noble Peace Prize winner told NNPA Newswire in an exclusive interview this week.
“Their resilience and their courage is a daily source of inspiration,” he said.
Surprised by the Nobel Prize announcement earlier this month, Dr. Mukwege said he was performing surgery when he began hearing people yelling.
“This is when I understood that this burst of enthusiasm from my colleagues was because I had just received the Nobel Peace Prize. I did not expect [to win] at all,” he said.
“My first reaction was to think of all the women, rape victims around the world, to whom I have dedicated my life for the past 20 years, who finally received the recognition they deserve,” Dr. Mukwege said.
The world-renowned gynecological surgeon is the founder and medical director at Panzi Hospital in Bukavu.
As a young child, Dr. Mukwege accompanied his father, a Pentecostal pastor, while visiting sick members of the community. He said that would later inspire him to become a doctor.
He made the decision to specialize in gynecology and obstetrics after observing that female patients at Lemera Hospital in the Congo suffered from insufficient medical care, which caused complications during their deliveries.
Working on issues of maternal health, since 1999 Dr. Mukwege and his staff at Panzi Hospital have helped to care for more than 50,000 survivors of sexual violence.
The hospital not only treats survivors with physical wounds, but also provides legal, and psycho-social services to its patients.
Patients who cannot afford post-rape medical care are treated without charge at Panzi Hospital.
“Many impacts are often ignored or forgotten. One of the first things that come to my mind is the deep psychological wounds suffered by victims, which – if not given the proper care – can last a lifetime,” Dr. Mukwege said.
“These psychological consequences are often ignored, yet they have an impact not only on the survivors, but also their relations with their families and with society as a whole,” he said.
“Broadly speaking, I think it is essential to listen to victims because they – more than anyone else – know what they want and what they need. Listening to survivors is also a way to empower them, which is an important step in their healing process,” he said.
The birth of the #MeToo movement and the awarding of the Nobel Prize to he and Iraqi Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad, who has detailed her life as an ISIS sex slave, illustrate that mentalities are slowly beginning to change and that there’s a gradual evolution in mindset, Dr. Mukwege said.
“However, I argue that rape is a weapon of mass destruction, cheaper than a gun and terribly effective, it is still widely used today in conflict zones to terrorize populations, not only in DRC, but also in Myanmar, South Sudan, Iraq, and other places,” he said.
“When women’s sexual organs are used as battlefields, the social fabric of communities is destroyed, impacting the society as a whole. In Congo especially, as women are the heart of the household, the consequences of sexual violence are irreversible and transgenerational.
“I do not think that governments are yet fully aware of the magnitude of this phenomenon and its consequences.”
Dr. Mukwege said the Black Press should remain vigilant about allowing the voices of victims to be heard. “I believe that the voices of all minorities need to resonate strongly to complete and sometimes challenge the majority’s narrative,” he said.
“This is of course the case of African American voices – illustrating the essential role of the Black Press – as well as the voices of all victims of sexual violence worldwide.”
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Black History
Hundreds of Black Christian Leaders Arriving in Israel for Martin Luther King-Inspired Mission
Hundreds of African American and African Christian leaders are visiting Israel for the ‘Unfinished Business Pilgrimage,’ inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King’s plans for a pilgrimage in 1967 that was canceled due to the Six Day War. The event aims to promote pro-Israel sentiments amidst rising antisemitism and will expand to thousands of participants in 2027. Pastor Dumisani Washington emphasizes the importance of Black Americans recognizing their role in supporting Israel. Pilgrimage leaders are also delivering gifts to victims of recent violence, reiterating the historical bond between Jewish and Black communities in advocating for justice. Pastor Michael A. Stevens highlights the need for education against antisemitism while suggesting that Israel should be more attuned to issues affecting Black lives.
As support for Israel declines precipitously in the US, hundreds of African-American and African pastors and Christian leaders are arriving in Israel this week for a mission inspired by the slain US civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King.
King planned to bring thousands of pilgrims to Israel and Jordan in 1967, but that trip was postponed because of the Six Day War and the political implications of such a trip. He said he would look into coming the next year, but was assassinated in April 1968.
“There were no mass pilgrimages” back then, says Pastor Dumisani Washington, a pro-Israel activist, at a press conference in Jerusalem. “We as Black Americans recognize that Black Americans were about to start something that no one else was doing.”
The “Unfinished Business Pilgrimage” will expand to thousands of participants next year, say organizers, to mark 60 years since King’s planned visit.
“We felt a burden in our heart,” Washington continues. “We see the rising antisemitism on the right and on the left.”
There is a “mountain of support rising from the Black church,” says Pastor Michael A. Stevens, Sr.
The leaders of the pilgrimage present gifts to victims of the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, massacre, including freed hostage Elkana Bohbot; Hila Abir, whose brother Lotan was murdered at the Nova music festival; and Daniel Lischinsky, whose son Yaron was murdered alongside his fiancée Sarah Milgrim at an Israeli embassy event in Washington, DC.
Ther rest of the participants arrive tomorrow, and will visit biblical sites across the country, as well as the site of the Nova massacre.
Steven says that Jewish and Black Americans had a tradition of coming together to “establish what was right, and to set the tone for the nation and for the world.”
“If anyone should stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters, it ought to be African-Americans, it ought to be Africans,” he continues.
Though rates of antisemitism have risen among people of color, Stevens tells The Times of Israel, “I still think we are the lowest-hanging fruit to educate and to learn.” He says, “The African-American Church is still the most influential institution in all of America, in fact, at least in the Black community.”
Stevens says one of the objectives of the mission is to spread awareness that “we cannot have antisemitism in our culture, period.”
At the same time, he says that Israel could improve its approach to Black America: “I believe Israel could be more attentive to the fact that a lot of the loss of lives that we see looks like us. Whether it’s in Gaza, whether it’s Ethiopians and racism.”
Reverend Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis. Jr. is on this delegation representing the Black Press of America and Spill the Honey as a present-day fulfillment of the dream and prior plan of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr in 1967 to lead a 5000 Black Clergy Pilgrimage to Israel.
Bakersfield News Observer
Election Day Voting in Bakersfield
Bakersfield voters turned out in force on Election Day to cast ballots, register, and ensure their voices were heard. See how the community participated.
On Nov. 3, voters headed to the election division office in Bakersfield to cast their ballots. Some voted in person after not receiving a mail-in ballot, while others came in to complete ballots they hadn’t signed. Unregistered voters could also register and vote at the office. Staff helped voters throughout the day, and the polls remained open until 8 p.m. Every vote is a chance to make your voice heard.
Reporting: Cecil Egbele
#ElectionDay #Vote #Voting #Bakersfield #CivicEngagement
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Sunnyside Capital Plan
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What is the plan for success post-midterms?
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Featured
Vietnam: A Black veteran’s ‘Soldiers Story’
Vietnam veteran Dr. Richard Watkins shares his harrowing journey of overcoming segregation and surviving combat in this powerful exclusive interview.
In an exclusive interview with The Defender, Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient Dr. Richard Watkins shares his “Soldiers Story,” from fighting racism in Army flight training to surviving being shot down over Vietnam.
Speaking at the Veterans Memorial Museum in Huntsville, Texas, Dr. Watkins, who retired as an Army captain, reflects on the courage, danger and racism Black Americans faced in Vietnam, and on the cold reception many veterans got when they came home. He also shares his views on the state of the U.S. military today and offers advice to young people considering military service.
In this video, you’ll hear about:
• A childhood dream to fly when “there are no Negro pilots”
• Racism and segregation during Army helicopter pilot training
• Being shot down on Dec. 30, 1967, just before the Tet Offensive
• Waiting for rescue as enemy forces closed in
• Coming home from an unpopular war
• His concerns about the U.S. military today
Chapters
0:00 Inspiration to serve and fly
2:20 Racism during training
4:24 Shot down
8:44 Rescued
9:57 After Vietnam: welcome home
12:51 The state of the U.S. military
16:07 A message for those considering service
Know a veteran with a story that needs to be told? Thank them for their service and share their story with us in the comments.
Subscribe to The Defender for more exclusive interviews, local news, and community coverage.
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#VietnamVeteran #BlackHistory #RichardWatkins #BlackVeterans #Houston #Texas #VeteransDay #TheDefender
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