Mbandaka, 31 August 2012 - In preparation for the planned provincial and local elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Office of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) in Equateur province undertook to educate and motivate local women about their civil and political rights, targeting in particular the women of the Pygmy community.

A team from the Electoral Section of MONUSCO, together with members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), visited on Wednesday, 29 August, the locality of Ikengo, where they met with a group of Pygmy women and encouraged them to participate in the country's political life through representation in local decision-making institutions. Ikengo is located some 30 km south of the provincial capital, Mbandaka.

Oumou Amadou Cissé, of MONUSCO's Electoral Section, told the 150 women who gathered at this meeting to make wise choices during the upcoming local elections by giving their votes to candidates with well-defined development programs, and more importantly, by supporting women candidates.

For his part, the provincial Executive Secretary of the CENI in Equateur, Jean-Pierre Makakaro, recalled the low representation of women in earlier elections. He explained that women sometimes act as a break on their own empowerment when they fail to vote for women candidates. « With women accounting for 52 percent of the Congolese population, they constitute a significant share of the electorate", which could help elect women to lead key institutions in this country, Mr. Makakaro said. He encouraged female voters to harness this potential force and to stand together.

The women who were present said they understood the message, and pledged to vote for only those candidates, male or female, who would push for the development of their community.

Jean-Tobie Okala/ MONUSCO