Aid agency CAFOD is calling on the coalition government to play its part in ensuring the protection of human rights for women in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the eve of an exhibition highlighting sexual violence.

Last week’s long-awaited decision by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to forgive $12.3 billion of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s debt is to be welcomed, but a raft of transparency reforms are urgently needed in the mining and oil sectors if the country is to truly benefit from the decision, said campaign group Global Witness today.

As the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) celebrates fifty years of independence on 30^th June, a comprehensive new research report   is published today by Women for Women International (which supports and empowers women in areas of conflict around the world). It found sexual violence against women is increasing and that many women are living in fear, because of growing violence from the militia and within their own communities.

Floribert Chebeya's body was found in his car after he was called to a meeting with the national police chief, which did not take place, on Tuesday.

A senior UN investigator said the circumstances of the death "strongly suggested official responsibility".

The government has not responded to the comment, but has ordered an inquiry.

Photojournalist Susan Schulman and co-creator of Congo Now! in 2009 was named on 1^st June as a winner of Amnesty International UK’s coveted Media Awards for her work with Ed Caesar in GQ Magazine “Congo: The Horror”.

Christian Aid Week (10-16 May), the UK’s longest running fundraising week, is this year being fronted by actresses Suranne Jones and Sally Lindsay. The close friends, who became household names after their roles in Coronation Street, have just returned from seeing Christian Aid's work in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Following the commemoration of Yom HaShoah, the Jewish annual commemoration of the Holocaust, 52 Rabbis in the UK have issued a public statement urging Prime Minister Brown and the two leaders of opposition Nick Clegg and the David Cameron to pledge an unwavering resolve to make saving the Congo an absolute priority for the next Parliament.

(JED/IFEX) – Kinshasa, 6 April 2010 - Journaliste en Danger (JED) has expressed its outrage after a sixth journalist in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was killed on 5 April 2010. JED is calling on local authorities to provide an explanation for the murders and asks that no lead be overlooked in investigating the motive for this crime.