Dieudonné MUNGUWAMPAGA, D.R. CONGO

“This project focuses specifically on women and children in unofficial detention centers (which has never been done before), but most importantly aims to tackle the root causes and to find solutions by appealing to judicial authorities.”

About Dieudonné

Mr. Dieudonné Munguwampaga holds a degree in private law from the Official University of Bukavu and several certificates in international humanitarian law and mediation. Dieudonné currently works as a legal counsel and is a volunteer lawyer for IBJ in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The Challenge

In the DRC, torture is still used regularly against detained persons as a means of obtaining confessions or extracting bribes. In addition to the large number of detainees held in the Bukavu Central Prison, many individuals are held in unofficial detention centers where protections from abuse are lacking.

The Innovation: Legal Assistance to Women and Children Who Are Victims of Torture and Ill-Treatment in Unofficial Detention Centers in the Province of South Kivu

Dieudonné’s project aimed to provide judicial assistance to women and children who were victims of torture or ill-treatment in the prisons and detention centers of South Kivu. To achieve this, he organized various activities, taking a collaborative rather than confrontational approach with government officials, which proved effective in raising awareness of the issues within the justice system and finding durable solutions.

Firstly, Dieudonné organized a team of volunteer lawyers to conduct monitoring visits to 14 prisons and detention facilities in cooperation with the Kabare prosecutor’s office. Through this process, 35 inmates—including 12 women and 21 minors—were identified as living in inhumane conditions. They were provided with legal assistance, which eventually secured the release of 22 individuals. Another part of Dieudonné’s project was to advocate for improving sanitary conditions within prisons. During the prison visits, Dieudonné identified thirteen inmates suffering from malnutrition and lack of access to basic healthcare, all of whom received treatment for their ailments.

Finally, Dieudonné organized an awareness-raising workshop aimed at making legal texts about criminalizing torture—both national and international—more accessible. He also co-organized a training session for police officers, members of civil society, local authorities, and the General Commander of the National Police. This session was broadcast on radio and television by RTNC Bukavu, reaching an estimated 5,000 people.