Secli-Wendji, 22 March 2012 – On the initiative of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO)'s Public Information Office, some 300 women of Secli-Wendji, a neighborhood located 20 kilometers south of Equateur province's capital, Mbandaka, came together to discuss issues specific to local rural women. The meeting was held as part of activities marking March as Women's Month.

The discussions, which were held on the local market premises, allowed the MONUSCO team to sensitize these women, most of them rural or small-scale traders, to the importance of their economic empowerment. They were strongly encouraged to engage in income-generating activities as well as agricultural work.

The meeting was opened by the neighborhood chief, Louis Botobe, and actively attended by the president of the local Youth Parliament, Gertrude Lingala, who using the local language helped to relay the message to other participants.

Jean-Tobie Okala/ MONUSCO