**Crucial support for girls’ education: Awareness raising in Kinshasa on International Day of the Girl Child**
The issue of girls’ education is at the heart of debates in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where parents and civil society actors are mobilizing to support the development of young girls. During a recent awareness raising event on the occasion of International Day of the Girl Child, voices were raised to emphasize the crucial importance of guaranteeing girls access to education and the opportunities necessary for their development.
At the initiative of the “Women’s Movement United for Change (MFUC)”, parents were called upon to recognize the unique vision of each girl and to support them in their educational journey. Patience Mutinsumu Ansiyi, spokesperson for the movement, stressed the urgency of this parental support: “The education of girls is an essential lever for their future success. Parents must be guides, role models, for their children, and encourage them in their academic journey.”
Education, a pillar of personal development and gender equality, is at the heart of the concerns of actors in Congolese society. For Pacifique Makambo, a committed lawyer, the education of girls and women is a fundamental vector for their emancipation: “Women must not depend on men for their future. They must be encouraged to take their place in society, to actively contribute to the development of our country.”
Perside Mujangi, a women’s rights activist, drives the point home by highlighting the decisive role of girls’ education in the fight against inequality: “Women’s access to education is a valuable weapon for building a more just and equitable society. Ensuring girls’ education from a young age means giving them the keys to a brighter future, equal opportunities and respect for their fundamental rights.”
This awareness-raising movement, initiated in the commune of Kinshasa, carries a strong and mobilizing message. It reminds us that girls’ education is not only an individual issue, but a collective imperative. By supporting girls’ education, encouraging them and offering them opportunities for development, parents and society as a whole contribute to building a more equitable and prosperous future for all.
At a time when the President of the Republic, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, has made education a national priority, it is essential that all stakeholders, from the government to families and civil society, join forces to guarantee every Congolese girl the right to a quality education and a promising future.
Ultimately, girls’ education is an invaluable investment for society as a whole. By supporting their academic training, by breaking down social and cultural barriers, we are laying the foundations for a fairer, more equitable society, where everyone has their place and the opportunity to flourish fully.
This awareness-raising in Kinshasa resonates as a call to action, an invitation to unite to build a better future for future generations. Because supporting girls’ education means investing in the future of an entire nation, it means sowing the seeds of a fairer and more harmonious world.