On the sidelines of the celebration of International Women’s Day, MONUSCO stepped up its activities across Ituri province to strengthen women’s participation in peace efforts, raise awareness about their rights, and encourage reporting of the violence they are often subjected to.
From Djugu to Komanda, including Fataki, Tchabi, Bunia, and Gina, the various components of the Mission—civilian, police, and military—conducted community-based activities throughout the month of March, including in remote and sometimes marginalized areas.
Giving a voice to those rarely heard
About 45 kilometers south of Bunia, MONUSCO’s Gender Section, in collaboration with Indonesian peacekeepers, held an awareness session on Friday, March 27, 2026, bringing together around one hundred women from central Irumu. The objective was to strengthen their role in conflict prevention and resolution, and to encourage them to become active agents in the return of peace.
For Marthe Dheve, coordinator of the NGO Espoir pour la Paix et le Développement and a member of the facilitation team, women’s participation is essential for achieving peace.
“We are sending a clear message: peace begins with me. We, as women, must raise awareness among our children, our families, our communities, and even our territory. We must not leave peace issues to men alone. We must get involved because peace starts with ourselves, and in doing so, it can spread to other women” she explains.
She also emphasized the choice of Irumu-centre: “For us, it was really important, because many organizations stop at Komanda, the most well-known center in the territory. But women in Irumu are often forgotten. This was an opportunity to work with them, to inform them of their rights, and to encourage them to participate in efforts to consolidate peace and promote social cohesion so that living together becomes a reality.”
A message well received by participants
The women present expressed their satisfaction at seeing an activity organized “in their own community,” as they are rarely visited by humanitarian organizations or institutional representatives.
“What we have learned is very important, because without peace, we cannot live. And to strengthen social cohesion, we ask the authorities to build a market for us so that all communities can interact […] It is not always good to have only one community in an area; that is why we want to live in peace with people from other communities” said another participant, emphasizing the importance of harmony among the different communities of Ituri.
This initiative is part of MONUSCO’s broader strategy to strengthen community resilience, promote women’s rights, and encourage their leadership in the pacification of Ituri.
Jean-Tobie Okala
