Sophie, Countess of Wessex, is visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo this week, making her the first member of the royal family to travel to the African country.
Her visit comes at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, per a Royal Communications statement.
While in Congo yesterday, Sophie addressed the devastating impact of sexual and gender-based violence in the region, and spoke to survivors about healing from and rising past their experiences.
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Her visit was planned several months ago and comes ahead of the International Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Conference in London, which is being hosted by the U.K. government in November. Sophie will be in attendance, as will foreign ministers, international organizations supporting the cause, faith communities, and survivors of sexual violence.
The conference, aimed at tackling conflict-related sexual violence, will take place 10 years after the launch of the initiative.
On her trip this week, Sophie is being accompanied by Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, the prime minister’s special representative on preventing sexual violence in conflict and the minister of state for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Since her arrival in the country, Sophie has debuted two breezy and vibrant looks. The first was a green sundress with a white-and-black floral print. She paired the piece with elegant ivory flats with gold hardware and gold jewelry: hoop earrings, a delicate necklace, and a chain bracelet. She also wore a white beaded bracelet and black sunglasses.
For her second look—to meet the people behind Earthshot Prize finalist The Pole Pole Foundation, which protects the gorillas of the Kahuzi Biega National Park from poachers—Sophie wore a red wrap dress with billowing sleeves and a sweet white moon-and-stars print. She wore the same timeless accessories.
Today, Sophie visited world-renowned surgeon and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege’s Panzi Hospital, where she spoke with experts and saw firsthand the treatment provided to survivors of brutal, conflict-related sexual violence and trauma, including mothers and children. Per a Royal Communications release, 3,500 babies born of sexual violence in conflict are delivered each year at the hospital.
The countess and Mukwege also visited the Panzi Foundation to learn more about the holistic support that has been given to more than 70,000 survivors of conflict-related sexual violence since 1999.
Sophie will later visit the City of Joy, a leadership community for women survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, which helps them heal from their trauma and provides them with skills to become confident leaders in their communities.
Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Becomes First British Royal to Travel to Congo
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