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Rape and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) have become strategic weapons of war. Women, children, and entire communities are targeted to be dehumanized and demoralized through this brutal violence.  Gender-based violence has particularly been a deep and painful aspect of the conflict in the Democratic Repulic of the Congo for years. In 2009 alone, over 17,000 cases of sexual and gender-based violence were recorded in the DRC, with several times that likely to have gone unreported.

The Crisis

Violence in the eastern Congo has escalated since the rise of the M23 rebel group in April 2012, and is once again putting the lives of Congolese in danger. The M23 movement has now taken control of large territories of eastern Congo, and they held the capital city of North Kivu, Goma, under siege in November 2012. Due to violent clashes with government forces and pillaging of communities, M23 has displaced about 690,000 people since April 2012.

Last night, reports came out that the Syrian military may be preparing to use chemical weapons against its own people. This is after 40,000 people have already been killed by Syrian government-sponsored violence.  

Let’s make this holiday season a season of action! No matter where you’ll be between December 10th and 21, sign up now to receive one easy action a day for each of these 12 days. These actions will include education, advocacy, and fundraising opportunities.

Now that the election is over, it’s our responsibility to ensure that the prevention of mass atrocities is a priority for the second Obama administration and new Congress from day 1.

National Day of Action: On October 17, Ask the Candidates About Atrocity Prevention

President Obama and Governor Romney will soon face off in the October 22 Foreign Policy Debate, moderated by Bob Schieffer, the host of Face the Nation on CBS. The world is waiting to hear what the two presidential candidates will highlight as their most critical foreign policy concerns.

Interested in blogging about international human rights issues, but haven't blogged before and don't know where to start? Have a lot of great opinions, but don't know how to best voice them or how to make sure that the max number of people read them?

Or, are you already an intermediate blogger, but want to fine-tune the different aspects of publishing a successful, credible blog?

If so, join STAND's new media training program, STAND’s Guide to Navigating the Blogosphere.

STAND was founded in response to the genocide in Darfur. Now, eight years later, things have changed dramatically in Sudan: even as atrocities continue in Darfur, the secession of South Sudan has led to new border-state conflicts characterized, once again, by the targeting and displacement of civilians. Concurrently, while the regime of Omar al-Bashir maintains a seemingly intractable grip on power, citizen protests reminiscent of the Arab Spring have arisen throughout the country.

Earlier today, STAND joined human rights activists, faith leaders, and members of the Sudanese diaspora in pressing the U.S. government to redouble its advocacy on human rights and civilian protection in Sudan. A couple of hours later, the DC Metro police arrested George Clooney in front of Sudan’s Washington embassy.