A look back at the 6th Mukwege International Chair Conference
For three days, ULB hosted the 6ᵉ Congress of the Mukwege International Chair, dedicated to the reconstruction of women victims of sexual violence. Scientists, decision-makers and field workers crossed their views on the four pillars of care (medical, psychological, legal and socio-economic) to think, from the battered body to resilience, fairer and more coordinated responses.
I
nitiated by Véronique De Keyser, Professor Emeritus at ULiège, the International Mukwege Chair is dedicated to the development of interdisciplinary research on sexual violence against women. It federates the knowledge, expertise and practices of partners and universities in Belgium and internationally, bringing together academics and field workers engaged in the fight against such violence in conflict contexts.
Since 2019, the Chair has organized an annual conference in one of the partner universities, at the crossroads of research and action. After tackling holistic reparations (Bukavu, 2022), the fight against impunity (Liège, 2023), violence affecting children (Angers, 2024) and advances linked to women's rights and the SDGs (Montreal, late 2024), the 6ᵉ Congress was held at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, hosted by the Faculty of Human Motricity Sciences.
6th Congress at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
For three days, decision-makers, scientists, professionals, associations and concerned individuals gathered to reflect, exchange and act around an essential red thread: the reconstruction path of women victims of sexual violence, with a focus on the body and resilience.
Discussions were structured around the four pillars of care for survivors of extreme sexual violence:
- Medical pillar: feedback and in-depth studies (management of infected wounds, anesthesia, gastroenterology, gynecology, fistula surgery, pelvic surgery and rehabilitation), in conjunction with the expertise of Panzi Hospital.
- Psychological pillar : psychosomatic expression of suffering, resilience in the face of recurrent trauma, suffering of care providers, links with legal, medical and economic dimensions.
- Legal pillar: law and criminology, physical suffering and mutilation, law as a tool for symbolic and real reparation, contributions and limits of legal responses.
- Socio-economic pillar: public health, social reintegration, reproductive health, access to contraception and STD prevention, interventions with people far removed from the systems, recognition of rights (including the issue of abortion for victims).
This 6ᵉ Congress has confirmed the importance of a multidisciplinary and coordinated approach, both scientific and rooted in the field, to advance knowledge, practices and public policies in terms of justice, peace and the fight against sexual violence.
