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Sophie, Countess of Wessex, has spoken out against the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Countess is the first member of the Royal Family to have visited the country in central Africa.
As part of her visit, Sophie today spoke to organisations that are working to uphold women’s rights.
She addressed those gathered in French, the official language of the DRC.
The Royal Family reported in a post on Twitter: “The Countess of Wessex attended a reception for organisations across the DRC, who are working to uphold and promote the rights and opportunities of women and girls.
“HRH addressed guests in French, commending them for their efforts to put an end to sexual violence in conflict.”
In her speech, the Countess of Wessex described sexual violence against women as a “weapon of war”.
She added that it was the responsibility of everybody, not just women, to work towards bringing this to an end.
Sophie, translated from French, said: “We all have a part to play if we are to ever realise our shared vision for a future in which sexual violence is no longer a weapon of war.
“It is only by working together that we can put an end to this most tragic legacy of conflict, and there is much work still to be done.”
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Security for he visit is “tight”, according to the Telegraph.
The Countess has received a lot of praise for her visit on social media, as well as for her use of the French language during a significant speech.
@ObaatanAkua described her as “Bilingual Wonder Woman of Wessex”.
@misscuppa added that they were “so proud” of Sophie for “getting the work done”.
The Countess has also in the past travelled to a number of other countries, including Kosovo, Lebanon and South Sudan, to campaign against sexual violence.
She last year revealed how she had gone to “some very dark places”, telling the Telegraph of the “tears dripping off your chin” while hearing horrific stories.
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