Representation of women in national legislative elections in the DRC 2023
The question of the representation of women in politics is crucial to ensuring a fair and democratic society. Unfortunately, the figures recently released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) show a worrying disparity between men and women in the candidacies for the national legislative elections of 2023.
Of the 23,653 files declared admissible, only 17% are female candidates, ie 3,955 women against 83% men, ie 19,698 male candidates. This glaring asymmetry raises serious concerns about women’s political participation and representation in decision-making bodies in the country.
Anny Modi, Executive Director of Afia Mama, a Congolese organization that works for the defense and promotion of women’s rights, strongly criticized this situation. According to her, the amendments made to article 13 of the electoral law do not oblige any political party to align women on their lists. In addition, these political parties that respect parity benefit from an exemption from the payment of the deposit. This incentive measure thus favors political parties with significant financial resources, which can afford not to respect parity.
Mrs. Modi underlines that this modification of the electoral law has actually regressed the political rights of women in the DRC. She insists on the fact that it is necessary to put in place binding measures to guarantee parity of representation. She takes the example of France, which succeeded in achieving parity in politics thanks to such restrictive measures.
To move towards a democratic and egalitarian society, it is essential to promote the political participation of women. This requires concrete actions to guarantee their representativeness in decision-making bodies. The revision of the electoral law as well as sanctions for political parties that do not respect parity are essential steps to achieve this objective.
In conclusion, the low representation of women in national legislative elections in the DRC is alarming. It is imperative to take concrete steps to ensure their participation and political representation. Congolese society cannot afford to deprive itself of women’s skills and perspectives in political decision-making. The revision of the electoral law and the adoption of binding measures are therefore crucial steps to progress towards real gender equality in the DRC