Denis Mukwege ( born 1 March 1955) is a Congolese gynecologist and Pentecostal pastor. He founded and works in Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, where he specializes in the treatment of women who have been raped by armed rebels. He has treated thousands of women who were victims of rape since the Second Congo War, some of them more than once, performing up to ten operations a day during his 18-hour working days. According to The Globe and Mail, Mukwege is “likely the world’s leading expert on repairing injuries of rape”.
In 2018, Mukwege and Nadia Murad were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for “their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict”.
DENIS MUKWEGE QUOTES
“Women’s bodies have become a true battlefield and rape is being used as a weapon of war.” – Denis Mukwege
“The world´s attention to the need to protect women during armed conflicts, you have refused to be indifferent to one of the biggest humanitarian catastrophes of modern times.” – Denis Mukwege
“You just can’t imagine how a smile, a simple handshake, to just tell them ‘be encouraged’ is important to them. To feel they are loved, to feel they can finally find love and affection.” – Denis Mukwege
“We need to act urgently, in the interests of patients who we must provide better care for and in the interests of staff at Panzi who have not been paid.” – Denis Mukwege
“Together – politicians, civil society, citizens, men and women – we have to draw a red line against the use of rape as a weapon of war.” – Denis Mukwege
“We have spent too much time and energy fixing the consequences of violence. It is time to take care of the causes.” – Denis Mukwege
“Justice should also be at the centre of the peace process and the fight against impunity should be reinforced.” – Denis Mukwege
“In every raped woman, I see my wife. In every raped mother, I see my mother and in every raped child, my own children.” – Denis Mukwege
“For almost 20 years I have witnessed war crimes committed against women, girls and even baby girls not only in my country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, but also in many other countries, to the survivors from all over the world, I would like to tell you that through this prize, the world is listening to you and refusing to remain indifferent. The world refuses to sit idly in the face of your suffering.” – Denis Mukwege
