Fatshimetrie, an innovative and engaged media, recently organized a Forum on increasing the political participation of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This event was an opportunity to highlight the crucial importance of women’s involvement in the country’s democratic and electoral processes.
The speakers at this Forum highlighted the need to raise awareness among the various stakeholders to encourage a greater presence of women leaders in public debates. They highlighted the importance for women candidates to develop their skills in leadership, communication and writing convincing social projects.
The experience shared by Christelle Vuanga, National MP, highlighted the need for female politicians to fight for balance and inclusion, rather than special favors. She stressed the importance of working on yourself, positioning yourself within political parties and being influential in advancing women’s rights and representation.
Me Pacifique Nkunzi, UN-Women expert, highlighted the positive progress observed during the 2019 and 2023 elections in the DRC. He underlined the significant progress represented by the appointment of a woman Prime Minister and by the strong participation of women in the final office of the National Assembly.
The commitment of women’s networks, the media, civil society and political parties to promoting the political participation of Congolese women was also praised during this Forum. The speakers called for collective mobilization to obtain comprehensive electoral reform allowing free, transparent and credible elections in the DRC.
In conclusion, the Forum on Increasing Women’s Political Participation in the DRC highlighted the crucial importance of promoting inclusion and gender equality in the country’s democratic processes. He highlighted the progress made, while highlighting the persistent challenges to ensure balanced and equitable representation of women in Congolese political life.