A Congolese doctor has received the European Union's Sakharov human rights award for his work with thousands of gang rape victims in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
European Parliament President Martin Schulz on November 26 presented Doctor Denis Mukwege with the prize at a ceremony in Strasbourg.
Schulz said Mukwege "fought for the dignity of women, justice, and peace in his country."
Mukwege, 59, said he hoped the prize would help to bring the plight of women in his country to an end.
Rival forces fighting for control of the vast mineral riches in eastern DR Congo have used mass rape for decades to terrorize the local population into submission.
Mukwege was named as recipient of the award in October.
The two other candidates were Ukraine's pro-Western Euromaidan movement and Azerbaijani rights defender Leyla Yunus.
