In Goma, North Kivu, MONUSCO field office celebrated on Monday, October 25, 2021 the International Day of the United Nations. One of the highlights of this commemoration was a round table on the theme “Women, Peace and Security”.
Four specialized agencies of the United Nations system (UNICEF, UNHCR, FUNUAP and UN Women) took part in the discussions in which some thirty women's association structures and local media also participated.
Most of the speakers started from the observation that women are affected in several ways by armed conflicts insofar as they can be both victims of violence and combatants or members, voluntary or not, of armed forces.
They are also potential actors in all phases of conflict, in particular in peace, security sector reform and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) processes, as well as in reconstruction and development policies.
Unanimously, the participants recognized that women's rights are still a topical issue, hence the need to analyze, during the work, the obstacles that continue to hamper the full participation of women in the peace processes in the DRC in general and North Kivu in particular.
All in all, the theme “Women, Peace and Security” allowed participants to appreciate the incredible efforts made by women and girls in North Kivu to shape a more egalitarian future and recovery, but also to become aware of the challenges that remain to be addressed, as well as the opportunities that are offered to achieve them.
The quality of the interventions demonstrated that women play a leading role in peacebuilding and in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and that their participation is essential.
The participants recommend that women take up decision-making positions at all levels in national, regional and international institutions and mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mission de l’Organisation des Nations unies en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO).
