The Sakharov Prize thanks the European Parliament for spotlighting sexual violence . He says the prize `` is a strong signal , telling the women they have not been abandoned '' The gynecologist is thought to have operated on more than 40,000 women since setting up his hospital during the 1998 war in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo . The Congolese doctor set up a hospital in 1998 to treat survivors of gang rape . Denis Mukwege is the top human rights award given by European Parliament .
The Sakharov Prize thanks the European Parliament for spotlighting sexual violence . He says the prize `` is a strong signal , telling the women they have not been abandoned '' The Congolese doctor set up a hospital in 1998 to treat survivors of gang rape . Denis Mukwege is the top human rights award given by European Parliament .