Denis Mukwege
Nobel Peace Prize winner, Denis Mukwege is a Congolese gynecologist and women's rights activist who worked at Panzi Hospital in Bukavu and treated women who have been raped by armed rebels. He has treated thousands of rape victims since the Second Congo War, he performed 10 operations a day during his 18-hour working days. Mukwege was awarded Nobel Peace Prize 2018 jointly with Nadia Murad for "their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict".
Early Life And Education Of Denis Mukwege
Denis Mukwege was born on March 1, 1955, in Bukavu, Belgian Congo to a Pentecostal minister and his wife. He is the third child of nine children to his parents. He wanted to treat sick people for whom his father prayed, after seeing a woman who had complications of childbirth and no access to specialist healthcare.
In 1983, Mukwege graduated from the University of Burundi in a medical science. Then he worked as a pediatrician in the rural Lemera Hospital but after seeing a women patients dying due to the improper health care he decided to study gynecology and obstetrics. He joined the University of Angers, France, completing his medical residency in 1989.
Mukwege earned his Ph.D. from Université Libre de Bruxelles in 2015 for his thesis on traumatic fistulas in the "Eastern Region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo".
Denis Mukwege's Career
After completing his education from France, Denis Mukwege started working in the Lemera Hospital but after the First Congo War he returned to Bukavu and founded the Panzi Hospital in 1999. He treated more than 85,000 patients with complex gynecological damage and trauma, mostly the women suffered from sexual violence.
After Mukwege learned genital damaging was being used as a weapon of war in the conflict of the late 1990s he devoted himself to remodeling surgery to help female victims of sexual violence. The German Institute of Medical Mission, DIFAEM helped Mukwege's work with funds and medicines.
In 2102, Mukwege criticized the Congolese government and other countries for being an injustice to rape victims during his United Nations speech.
Honors and Awards
Denis Mukwege received UN Human Rights prize in 2008. The same year he was honored with Olof Plame Prize. In 2009, he was awarded African of the Year by "Daily Trust and Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur" by the French government. Fortune Magazine ranked him #35 in the list of World Greatest Leader of 2016.
Mukwege also enlisted in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People. Similarly, he was honored with many awards including Gulbenkian Prize, Seoul Peace Prize, The Hillary Clinton Award, Right Livelihood Award, and others. In 2018, he awarded with Nobel Peace Prize.
Till the date, Mukwege received six honorary degrees. In 2010, he received his first Honorary Doctorate by the faculty of medicine at Umeå University and from Université Catholique de Louvain in 2014. Then he honored with Degree of Doctor of Medicine by Harvard University (2015), University of Edinburgh (2017), University of Angers (2018) and University of Liège (2018).
Nobel Peace Prize
Denis Mukwege honored with Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 jointly with Nadia Murad for "their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict". Murad is an Iraqi social activist who worked for Yazidi people, campaigning to help put an end to human trafficking who was previously tortured and raped by Islamic State militants.
Mukwege said he was in the operating theatre when he came to know about Nobel prize. He added,
"I can see in the face of many women how they are happy to be recognized and this is really so touching."
Picture of Dr. Mukwege and the staff of Panzi hospital celebrating the win has been shared on Twitter and he dedicated the Nobel win to the many women who were victims of sexual violence.
Outbursts of joy in @PanziHospital.
It’s not every day one receives the @NobelPrize.
But no time to stop. @DenisMukwege's in the operating theatre.
A patient is waiting.
Our battle continues. @PanziFoundation @MdMBelgique #Panzi #DRCongo #Mukwege #NobelPeacePrize pic.twitter.com/oUjkGFVYSh— Seron Alexandre (@AlexandreSeron) October 5, 2018
Denis Mukwege's Net Worth
Denis Mukwege is a renowned social activist who devoted all his life in the treatment to rape victims. He is a Congolese gynecologist and the average salary of a gynecologist is $250k but he might earn more than the average figure.
Mukwege is a Nobel Peace Prize winner 2018 for his contribution to protecting women rights and safety. The prize money of Nobel winner is $1 million and received a gold medal worth of $4.76 million along with a diploma.
Denis Mukwege's Personal life
Denis Mukwege is a married man and as per some online sources, he has a daughter but apart from that, he hasn't revealed much about his personal life to media.
In October 2012, Mukwege residence was violently attacked by four armed when he wasn't at home and his family was held at gunpoint in an a s sa s sination attempt. Upon his return, his trusted friend, Joseph Bizimana and security guard, was killed but luckily Mukwege was saved.
After the a s sa s sination attempt, Mukwege and his family fled to Europe for a short period of time. In January 2013, he returned to Panzi Hospital, Bukavu as the hospital reported that his absence had devasting effect in its daily operations. He received a warm welcome from Bukavu people especially from his patients who raised funds to pay for his return ticket.
Denis Mukwege also on the advisory committee for the UNHCR’s Advisory Board on Gender and Protection" and "International Campaign to Stop Rape and Gender Violence in Conflict ." He is the member of Global Advisory Board for The Uncondemned and Women political Leader Global Forum (WPL).
Body Measurement
- Age: As of 2018, he is 63 years old.
- Weight: He weighs 79kg (174 lbs).
- Height: He stands at the height of 6 inches tall.
- Body Measurement: 40-32-35
- Bicep size: 15.5 inches
- Shoe Size: 10
- Zodiac sign: Pisces
Check out the video of Denis Mukwege,