ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the impact of international assistance on gendered power relations and how challenging gendered power relations affect sexual violence. It presents the transformation of gendered power relations, in particular femininities, under formal law. The chapter investigates breaking the silence and stigmatization around sexual violence crimes as a result of the transformation of gendered power relations. It explores women taking up roles as decision-makers. The chapter examines the way that the value of femininity has been reasserted. Since international assistance contributes to the transformation of gender norms under formal legal concepts, it also provides an alternative space for women to act and seek power. Hence, such transformation is not limited to Congolese women’s discourses but is also reflected in their everyday life practices. However, such transformation of gendered power relations can only be seen in certain women, namely those that are reached out to by international assistance. Finally, the chapter looks at work on the transformation of masculinities.
