The article “Fatshimetry: Pétronille Vaweka, a strong voice for peace and security in Africa” sheds light on Pétronille Vaweka’s impactful intervention at the Security Council briefing on the crisis in the Great Lakes region. Vaweka brought attention to the grave humanitarian and security challenges facing women in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, emphasizing the brutal violence, including mutilations and rapes, inflicted upon them.
As the recipient of the 2023 American Women Building Peace Prize, Pétronille Vaweka underlined the three-decade-long violence and displacement in eastern DRC perpetuated by armed groups, both local and foreign. She linked this unrest to the exploitation of natural resources that power our everyday electronic devices. Despite the bleak circumstances, Vaweka highlighted women as active participants in peace-building efforts.
Vaweka shared Rachel’s inspiring journey from Ituri province, illustrating the resilience and determination of Congolese women in striving towards peace and reconciliation. She called for increased global support to establish lasting peace and security in the Great Lakes region, advocating for fair trade practices in minerals to foster prosperity and life instead of bloodshed.
Furthermore, Vaweka emphasized the need for enhanced involvement of entities like MONUSCO, the African Union, and the ICGLR in engaging women in peace processes and enhancing the technical and economic capacity of local populations. Her proposals for an international monitoring mechanism and the implementation of the ICGLR regional action plan underscore her unwavering dedication to peace and security in Africa.
Pétronille Vaweka embodies a powerful advocate for peace and security in Africa, urging for a united and proactive international community to support women and work towards a better future for all in the Great Lakes region.