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A Voice For the Voiceless

MISSION

The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice

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Solidarité pour la Promotion Sociale et la Paix (SOPROP)

Arnold DJUMA Coordinateur Régional de SOPROP/GOMA Défenseur des droits Humains et TDC

Tél:09 97 70 34 96 BP: 354 Goma/RDC, 470 Gisenyi/RWANDA

• Mission
• Advocacy
• Social Change
• Information/News from SOPROP
• Networking

Mission

Founded in 1994 in Goma, Solidarité pour la Promotion Sociale et la Paix (SOPROP) works in Goma, Béni, Butembo, and Kitshanga.  SOPROP promotes awareness of and respect for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through education and promotes peace and good governance through sensitizing the population to non-violence, the virtues of democracy, peaceful coexistence, and tolerance. 

SOPROP supports vulnerable persons through activities aimed at promoting and guaranteeing their socio-economic status within the existing development institutions. They also accompany refugees from the Great Lakes region during their rehabilitation in Europe and the rest of the world and thus promote good relations between the peoples of the Great Lakes region and the rest of the world.

Advocacy

• Monitors and publishes reports all human rights violations in the region
• Offers medical assistance to victims of torture and other human rights violations
• Promotes women in leadership positions through education programs and technical support for community initiatives
• Develops Congolese democracy
• Campaigns against corruption and for the promotion of good governance in the Kinshasa

Social Change

• Human Rights Monitoring:
  • Since 1994, SOPROP has organized regular investigations and publications regarding the general human rights situation within the region.
  • Since January 2007, SOPROP has also worked on the problem of corruption in Kinshasa. In September, 2007 it produced its first report about the state and location of corruption in the city.  SOPROP hopes to pressure the country’s authorities to respect human rights, to support the struggle against corruption, to improve prison conditions, to reform the laws themselves, and to liberate political prisoners.

• Human Rights Education:
  • Since 2000, SOPROP has offered human rights courses to about 5,000 students in more than 16 high schools and secondary schools, and five universities.  The courses are given within the existing school curriculum, either in the form of training seminars or public conferences.
  • Since 1996, more than 157 human rights activists and members of NGOs have been trained in research methods, how to report on cases of victims of human rights violations and basic understanding of international law.
  • 47 customary and administrative authorities have been provided with an accelerated training regarding human rights and local democracy. Multiple local leaders have also been trained in elections, and these grassroots efforts had a significant effect on elections in the province.
  • 302 women have been trained in techniques of protecting and defending women’s rights.

• Musical Productions: SOPROP has created two albums to promote human rights and fight corruption
• Medical Assistance: SOPROP has helped over 10,000 primary and secondary victims in its medical centers in Goma, Butembo and Kitshanga since 1998.
• Rehabilitation and Reintegration of the victims: Since 2000, SOPROP has educated around 524 people in different trades and jobs, including young mothers, widows and widowers, and war victims.  Also, 50 child soldiers benefit from a program which trains them in agriculture activities in Kimwenza, an area near Kinshasa.

Information/News from SOPROP

• Press releases and reports from SOPROP can be found on their website at this address: http://www.soprop.kabissa.org/

Networking

• Human Rights Watch
• Amnesty International
• Global Fund for Human Rights
• National Endowment for Democracy
• International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims
• Agir ensemble pour les droits de l’homme
• Solidarite avec le Congo
• Secours populaire Francais, bureau de Lyon
• Fonds des Contributions Voluntaires des Nations Unies pour les victimes de la torture
• Observatoire Mondiale contre la Torture
• European Union
• Programme Mondiale contre la Faim

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