Panzi Foundation’s US Office is proud to announce that Ms. Stephanie March has joined its Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2023. Ms. March is a prominent philanthropist, activist, actress, and entrepreneur who brings to Panzi a deep understanding of the challenges women and girls face in accessing sexual and reproductive health services around the world, as well as her passion for social justice and equity.

Ms. March is active in a number of charities that expand access to health care and education to women and children across the globe, including Planned Parenthood, OneKid OneWorld, and World of Children, where she was named a recipient of their Board of Governors’ Awards. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Northwestern University’s School of Communications and spends a significant amount of her time traveling to advocate for the causes in which she is engaged.

Ms. March is best known for her role as Assistant District Attorney Alex Cabot on TV’s hit series, Law & Order SVU, and most recently played Lady Akira in Ava DuVernay and Jill Blankenship’s DC drama Naomi. Ms. March has also appeared in Comedy Central’s A President Show Documentary, 30 Rock, Grey’s Anatomy, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Treatment, Predisposed, and Innocence and has been seen onstage in the critically acclaimed revivals of Death of a Salesman, Talk Radio, and Boys’ Life. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and resides in New York City.

“We are honored to have Stephanie join us in our efforts to end rape as a weapon of war, and to expand peace and justice in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” says Panzi’s founder and 2018 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Dr. Denis Mukwege. “Her commitment to women and children is evident throughout her philanthropic career, and we look forward to working with her in the years ahead to expand access to holistic care and to raise awareness on the root causes of sexual violence in conflict.”

“Whether it be in the field of war, an institution of learning or medicine, or in a domestic setting, sexual violence is about oppression,” says Ms. March. “It is meant to demoralize, weaken, and control its victims. And it will not end unless we join forces with people like Dr. Mukwege and the brave men and women at PANZI to help them in their fight. I am deeply honored to be asked to join the Board, and I look forward to serving this community. The fight for women and our right to live as first-class citizens of this world is the cause to which I have committed my lifetime.”

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Panzi Hospital and Foundation provides survivors of sexual violence with access to compassionate, holistic care in the Democratic Republic of Congo. At Panzi, survivors receive comprehensive health services, psychosocial support, job-skills training and socio-economic reintegration opportunities, as well as access to legal services. Since 1999, Panzi has served over 70,000 survivors across the country, empowering them to not only survive, but to thrive as they rebuild their lives.