fred de sam lazaro reports. >> reporter: there are few images of war's destruction in the eastern congolese city of goma. little was built in the a series of peace agreements and two democratic elections have brought some stability here although very little development that still virtually no paved road in this whole country. the united nations says the democratic republic of congo is the worst place to be a woman. one place where you get an idea of what that mean s a refuge called heal africa. women work to shake you have unspeakable atrocities they have faced. the trauma have left most with injuries that render them incontinent. this woman wears a mask to conceal her maiming at a hand of militia men. >> my older daughter escaped from them. they told me to go get her and i said she escaped from you, how can i catch her. they hit me in the head with a matchete after i fell down they cut off my lips. >> reporter: a volunteer help worker brought who are to heal africa. it's the only specialty care hospital in all of eastern congo. it was started 12 years ago by lyn lusi, devote christians who

fred de sam lazaro reports from uganda. >> david's murder was meant to cause all of us who support human rights to live in fear. >> reporter: david kato was memorialized recently on the anniversary of his death, a small service led by a minister visiting from new york. kato's advocacy of gay rights in a land where homosexuality is deeply taboo made him a target for a tabloid called "rolling stone." it published the names of what it called the country's "top homos." under a banner headline and the words "hang them" was kato's photograph. a few days later, he was beaten to death. advocates say it was only the most publicized incident in an atmosphere of growing hostility, socially and legally, toward gays. >> you ugandans are people of courage. you are people of honor and people of determination, and you are defying the odds because you are taking a stand that we will not be crushed by the bahati bill. >> reporter: the bahati bill, named after its author, david bahati, in uganda's parliament, was introduced in 2009 and reintroduced earlier this month. it would add severe penalties for homo

. >> brown: from india, fred de sam lazaro reports on the campaign to immunize children against a debilitating disease. >> as recently at 2009 there were 741 cases of polio in india, more than any other nation. by last year, 2011, the number had dwindled to one solitary case. >> warner: and we close with a presidents' day conversation. hari sreenivasan talks with historian richard norton smith about a new museum dedicated to abraham lincoln. >> why is lincoln an icon that we see so much in pop culture today? >> he is just one of those figures who is synonymous with integrity. >> brown: that's all ahead on tonight's newshour. major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> bnsf railway. >> and by the bill and melinda gates foundation. dedicated to the idea that all people deserve the chance to live a healthy, productive life. and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> brown: on this presidents' day, t