Dr. Roger Luhiriri

Dr. Luhiriri serves as a physician and leader at Panzi Hospital, the only center for victims of sexual violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as a specialist in traumatic fistula. Dr. Luhiriri also helps to guide the hospital’s other services for survivors of sexual violence, including psychological support, vocational training, and child care. In recognizing health as a human right and in his holistic approach to addressing the issue of sexual violence, Dr. Luhiriri is passionately committed to raising the status of women in community participation, peace building, and policy reform. As a representative of Panzi Hospital, Dr. Luhiriri has built alliances between the hospital and other non-governmental organizations in the immediate area in order to advance local governance in conflict issues. In addition to his work at Panzi Hospital, Dr. Luhiriri works with Synergie des Femmes pour les Victimes des Violences Sexuelles, a coalition of women’s organizations addressing sexual violence against women and providing emotional support groups for the women at the hospital.