Promotion and Support for Women's Initiatives

Promotion and Support for Women's Initiatives (Promotion et Appui Aux Initiatives Feminines - PAIF)

• President and cofounder - Immaculée Birhaheka
• Jeanine Mukanirwa Tshimpambu - vice-president (2000 at least)

"Libertas, a newsletter of the Canadian Rights and Democracy, recently published a special issue on Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that includes an interview with World Movement Participant Immaculee Birhaheka, President of Promotion and Support for Women's Initiatives (PAIF) based in Goma, DRC. In the interview, Ms. Birhaheka discusses the state of women's rights in the DRC, forms and consequences of violence against women, obstacles facing victims of sexual violence and the organizations devoted to assisting them, and PAIF's role in providing support to the victims of violence."

Funding

In 1996, they received a grant from the NED "Through the International Human Rights Law Group, Promotion and Support for Women's Initiatives (PAIF) received Endowment assistance to complete a civic education program aimed at promoting women's participation in civil society. PAIF will carry out biweekly radio programs on a local station, organize five seminars with local chapters, produce in Swahili a human rights manual for women, and hold a monthly public speaking program at local schools.

They also received another NED grant the following year through the International Human Rights Law Group: "Promotion et Appui aux Initiatives Feminines will produce workshops and radio broadcasts to promote women's participation in public issues, organize monthly forums in the North Kivu region on women's concerns, and produce a quarterly newsletter."

They also received direct grants from the NED in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005.