Rania Atalla [US Executive Director, Women for Women International]: "Women in eastern Congo know exactly what it takes to end the conflict: They want the fighting to stop. They want to make a living for their families. And they want the men who are killing, maiming, and raping to be brought to justice.

Despite the uneasy peace, it is a good sign that government and rebel representatives are meeting this week in Kenya for peace talks. However, we doubt that the negotiations will result in a viable solution unless the suffering of Congolese civilians is fully recognized and addressed. If justice for the survivors is not going to be central to the political settlement the process will be incomplete and people will continue to believe in the rule of gun rather than the rule of law.

The stories of the women we support are brutal illustrations of human rights violations and war crimes that have been going on for years in a climate of total impunity. Marie Jeanne Kabuo was abducted by armed men while working on her fields. She managed to escape when her captors tried to rape her. Antoinette Kabuo, a mother of seven, was beaten up and her husband was kidnapped. Marie Jeanne Kavira saw her younger sister being raped in public. Tabu Tariane lost her uncle and cousin in the recent fighting. Most have been forced to flee their homes more than once and many have survived horrific sexual violence.

Women in this part of Congo have shown a humbling capacity to overcome physical and psychological injuries and rebuild their lives with fairly little assistance. Supporting their recovery benefits their families and communities, because they tend to invest revenues into the education and health of their children, thus contributing to the fabric of their communities. But to complete their transformation from victims to active citizens they also need protection and assurances that perpetrators will not walk freely.

The absence of rule of law in eastern Congo, especially in rural communities, where armed men have created a climate of terror and fear, is one of the largest obstacles to peace in the area. It has undermined the trust of the people in their government and its security forces, which are part of the problem. Violence has become a way of life and the only rule most people know is the rule of the gun.

Last year, the international community declared rape as a weapon of war. Now we must follow through and send a clear sign to perpetrators that their crimes will not go unpunished and victims have an opportunity for justice. We will not achieve this at the negotiation table alone and must also provide rights education for women, men, armed groups, police and youth; livelihood opportunities for women and men to break the cycle of poverty that prevents long-term peace and stability from taking root; and finally, legitimate justice mechanisms that will replace impunity with accountability and provide redress for atrocities."