Can you tell us something about yourself?
I come from Béni, in the province of Nord-Kivu, but I am originally from Maniema, in the centre of DRC. I am the oldest of 7 children, four boys and three girls. I am married with three children, two boys and a girl. My husband is a public prosecutor. I trained as a lawyer at the University of Kinshasa, then at the l’Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs, at Goma, the county town of Nord-Kivu.
What led you to your commitment to the cause of women’s rights?
At first, I wanted to be a lawyer and practice independently. But when I arrived in Béni, I saw that no-one had taken up the cause of women and children, or of other people in need. I took up this cause, which allowed me to perfect my skills, and to prepare files. After my internship, I created the Rehabilitation Centre for delinquent and deprived children [2] to assist women and children. I am currently President of this Centre. We also belong to a co-operative, the Commission to combat violence against women, which is a group of 19 local womens’ associations, including the Coalition of Women for Peace, and the Central African Human Rights Defence Network.
Viviane Kitété, on a visit to Paris.
Describe your typical working day
I am an African woman in the full sense of the term. I tend to my children and my husband every morning before going to work. Then I go to my office, or sometimes victims come directly to my house. I deal with issues of sexual violence, of inheritance, of repudiation of women without compensation. Often, the women who come to see me have nothing, so there is no fee. I am always on the move, I accompany victims to the police station, to the public prosecutor’s office, to court if necessary, sometimes even to hospital for medico-legal reports in the case of rape. I also go to meetings with other associations, where we discuss common programmes. We also discuss our actions on local radio, once a week for thirty minutes.
What most inspires you to continue your fight?
When a woman whose problems have been solved tells other women with problems, and they have the confidence to come and see me.
What was your biggest “victory”?
I defended a mother of four, who had been disinherited in a dispute. Her husband had been shot, and his family arrived to take back the house and evict her. She had not yet recovered, and suddenly she was thrown out of her home. She had no job, and did not know what to do. I defended her before the court. She won her case, was given custody of her children and kept her home. She was delighted and relieved. I was very touched by this, as it was one of my first cases.
Her victory showed that a woman can have her rights recognized. Another victory for me was a case where a well-known soldier was imprisoned for raping dozens of girls. The fact that he was found guilty was a huge relief for his victims.
What could you wish for yourself and for your country?
More solidarity. I am optimistic for my country. More than thirty years ago, no-one believed that we could have elections in DRC, or democratically elected institutions; now these things are a reality. The most important is a desire for change.
Also read: Resonances Africa N° 23 - April 2008
