Around 50 women from civil society organizations and political parties (both from the ruling majority and the opposition) gathered in Kinshasa on Wednesday, 5 August, to discuss their participation in the national dialogue announced by the Congolese authorities. Supported by MONUSCO’s Gender Section, the meeting sought to move beyond political divisions and identify shared priorities.
Organized in partnership with the Forum of Women Citizens Committed to Governance, Democracy and Development (FOFECEGDD), the reflection session aimed to help participants define the foundations of a common agenda and prepare for meaningful participation capable of influencing decisions.
Moving beyond political affiliations
According to Martina Berinyuy Ndi of MONUSCO’s Gender Section, the objective was to bring together women from different backgrounds so they could exchange views beyond their respective political affiliations.
“The realities faced by Congolese women remain the same, whether they belong to the opposition, the majority or civil society,” she explained.
This view was shared by Esther Bikale, a member of the Rassemblement des démocrates tshisekedistes.
“We are not coming here with our differences. If we focus on the opposition versus the majority, we will not move forward,” she said.
The participants called for women’s involvement to go beyond numerical representation and translate into genuine participation and consideration of their proposals.
Martina Berinyuy Ndi stressed that any dialogue initiative should be guided by the principles of inclusivity, representativeness and the effective participation of all segments of society, including women and youths, in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1325 (2000) and 2250 (2015) on the Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security agendas.
For Marie Lukusa, President of FOFECEGDD, the priority is to ensure that women enter the consultations with clearly defined positions.
“We want women’s agenda to be taken into account,” she said.
Participants also emphasized that women, who are among those most affected by armed conflict alongside children, must be able to present their own concerns and proposals during the dialogue.
Turning participation into influence
The meeting also highlighted the need to move beyond women’s mere presence in consultation spaces.
For lawyer Pacifique Nkunzi, an advocate for greater representation of women in public debate, the upcoming dialogue should make it possible to “transform women’s participation into a power of influence.”
He noted that women are increasingly present at meetings where issues of national interest are discussed, but that their participation still does not sufficiently shape the decisions taken.
Evelyne Mbata, a senior civil society representative who took part in the Inter-Congolese Dialogue in South Africa on behalf of women’s organizations, also stressed the importance of preparation. She said women should enter the next consultations with clear position papers developed in advance and supported collectively.
This is precisely one of the objectives pursued by FOFECEGDD.
“Congolese women should no longer be relegated to the margins of the country’s major decision-making moments,” Marie Lukusa said.
According to her, the meeting was intended to build a shared understanding of the issues, formulate consensual recommendations, propose a consultation mechanism for women from different political backgrounds and produce a joint declaration.
Continued support
MONUSCO’s Gender Section reaffirmed its readiness to support initiatives promoting more inclusive participation by women in peace processes and decision-making.
“Within the framework of its mandate, MONUSCO remains ready to support initiatives aimed at promoting the full, equal and meaningful participation of women,” Martina Berinyuy Ndi said.
Marie Lukusa announced that further meetings would be held in the coming weeks to deepen discussions, bring positions closer together and consolidate a common agenda ahead of the national dialogue.
Africa Fact: The mediaeval Nubian Kingdoms kept archives. From the site of Qasr Ibrim legal texts, documents and correspondence were discovered. An archaeologist informs us that: “On the site are preserved thousands of documents in Meroitic, Latin, Greek, Coptic, Old Nubian, Arabic and Turkish.”