Judicial cooperation between the DRC and Burundi: as a means of combating impunity for sexual violence in South Kivu province

More and more cases of sexual violence are going unresolved as the perpetrators vanish into thin air. Perpetrators flee their homes and cross the border to seek refuge in bordering countries. The aim is to escape prosecution for acts of sexual violence committed in the DRC in general, and in South Kivu province in particular. Geographically speaking, South Kivu province is one of the DRC's eastern provinces, bordering two countries, Rwanda and Burundi. Burundi shares several borders with the DRC, most notably with the town and territory of Uvira. A river, the Ruzizi, separates the two states, and all along this river there are four border posts, including Kanvivira, Kiliba, Sange, Luberizi and Rubenga Luvungi. On the other side, Burundi and the DRC share Lake Tanganyika, with the ports of Baraka and Mboka Kazimia. This ease of crossing is conditional on carrying a special CEPGL authorization.