The role of human rights in post-conflict reconstruction in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

Since its independence, the Democratic Republic of Congo has endured decades of conflicts and instability. These conflicts, fueled by ethnic tensions, political instability and human rights abuses and violations, have led to the displacement of millions of people, mass casualties, and the destruction of socio-economic infrastructure which hindered the county’s development. They also have devastating impact on vulnerable populations, particularly women and children who are often victims of sexual violence, forced recruitment, and exploitation. The political agreements and other peace initiatives that took place in the Congolese conflicts have not produced the expected effects of pacifying the country, because instead of addressing the real causes of conflicts, they served to share political power between the belligerents, forgetting to rely on the root causes of the conflicts in the country. Although human rights violations are not the only cause of these conflicts, structural conditions such as social inequalities, corrupt and abusive systems of governance, injustices, impunity and insecurity, corruption, and misappropriation of public funds, however, create grievances, dissatisfaction, and frustrations, leading, in turn, to the conditions that encourage actors to resort to violence and armed conflict. Human rights violations being part of the problem, they would be part of the solution, so that they can be fully integrated in any post-conflict reconstruction process in order to build a sustainable peace in the DRC.