Interview of Catarina Furtado with Dr Mukwege

Catarina Furtado, Portuguese television presenter, actress, and UNFPA goodwill ambassador interviewed Dr. Denis Mukwege during his visit to Portugal at the Estoril Conference in May 2019. 

“We believe that fighting against impunity is a way to prevent the repetition.”  – Dr. Denis Mukwege

In the interview, Dr. Mukwege recounts a story about the heroism of survivors of wartime sexual violence he treated at Panzi Hospital. After hearing that Dr. Mukwege had been threatened, twenty five survivors banded together to surround his house every night to protect him. For him, this was a beautiful, humbling experience.

At Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Dr. Mukwege cares for survivors of sexual violence. From his experience, the best way to care for these survivors is not just medical support, but holistic care: psychological, socio-economic, and legal support in order to truly heal.

See the full interview here.