Nobel Prize winner and world-renowned gynecological surgeon, Dr. Mukwege is the founder of Panzi Hospital, which cares for survivors of sexual violence, many of whom were brutalized by members of the Congolese government and militia groups.

Dr. Mukwege’s decision to specialize in gynecology and obstetrics came when he saw that female patients suffered from insufficient medical care, which caused complications during childbirth. He founded Panzi in Bukavu in 1999, expecting to work on issues of maternal health. Since its inception, however, Dr. Mukwege and his colleagues have treated more than 50,000 survivors of rape in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo.

Dr. Mukwege is fearless in his efforts to increase protections for women and to combat rape as a weapon of war.  In a speech to the United Nations in 2012, he denounced the country’s 16-year-long conflict and called for those responsible to be brought to justice. 

A few weeks later, Dr. Mukwege was attacked, and his family held at gunpoint in an assassination attempt. They fled the country. Dr. Mukwege worked with Physicians for Human Rights to mobilize a global campaign to protect individuals working on the front lines and prosecute perpetrators of mass crimes. He returned to the DRC the following year to resume his work.

Dr. Mukwege is on the advisory committee for the International Campaign to Stop Rape and Gender Violence in Conflict. He has been the recipient of numerous awards worldwide, including the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize, for his advocacy against sexual violence as a weapon of war and for his outstanding services to survivors of rape.