Fatshimetrie, an online media outlet committed to promoting gender equality and combating gender-based violence, recently covered the success of the 16-day campaign of activism led by women in Butembo, North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
At the closing of this campaign, the women of Butembo expressed their satisfaction, stating that 70% of the activities had been carried out satisfactorily. Mrs. Odile Mabanza Dibi, head of the urban gender, family and child service office, stressed that all planned activities had been carried out normally. Among the main actions was awareness-raising in schools and higher institutions on abuse, sexual exploitation and harassment in schools and universities.
Despite the successes of the campaign, Mrs. Odile Mabanza Dibi mentioned some difficulties encountered, including insufficient financial resources. It is regrettable to note that some recipients of the awareness-raising sometimes asked for money to listen to the prevention messages, which highlights the obstacles encountered in the fight against gender-based violence.
However, the commitment and actions carried out have borne fruit, with a positive change in mentalities. The narrative is changing, men and women are beginning to unite to reduce violence. In addition, the fact that a woman was elected national deputy in Butembo testifies to the impact of the awareness-raising campaigns and their contribution to the promotion of gender equality.
The 16-day campaign of activism against GBV, placed under the international theme “Towards 30 years of the declaration of the Beijing platform, unite to end violence against women” and the national theme “Unite to protect women and girls”, illustrates the importance of mobilizing society to fight against gender-based violence.
In conclusion, the efforts made by the women of Butembo and local authorities to raise awareness about gender-based violence are commendable. Despite the challenges encountered, the positive change observed demonstrates the importance of continuing awareness-raising actions and promoting gender equality in Congolese society.