From 2 to 3 June 2026, in the town of Lubero, MONUSCO, through the implementing partner of the Civil Affairs Section’s protection project, the Great Lakes Human Rights Programme (GLHRP), and in collaboration with local authorities and civil society, organized a workshop dedicated to strengthening community-based alert and response mechanisms in North Kivu. The objective was to improve the management of early warning alerts and responses to protection threats in the Lubero territory.
A total of 51 participants, including 11 women, took part in the workshop. They represented a wide range of stakeholders, including local authorities, defense and security forces, civil society organizations, youth, women, media representatives, and local communities.
Presiding over the opening ceremony, the Legal Adviser to the Military Administrator of Lubero Territory welcomed the initiative, highlighting its importance in the current context. He noted that the workshop “provides an opportunity for collective reflection to identify sustainable solutions to security and protection challenges,” while calling for “frank, open, and constructive discussions.”
The discussions provided an opportunity to review the security situation in the area, which was considered relatively calm despite persistent challenges, particularly the confusion between certain armed groups and so-called self-defense groups. Participants also acknowledged the negative impact of misinformation on protection dynamics.
Say No to Misinformation
For John Kambale Binakosa, Coordinator of the NGO Youth Action for Assistance and Rural Development and Chair of a local protection committee, the workshop represents an important step in strengthening local capacities: “This activity aimed to strengthen the capacities of local actors on community protection mechanisms and improve their ability to prevent and respond to threats against civilians, particularly in a context of transition and insecurity.”
He also stressed the need to combat misinformation, which he considers an aggravating factor in crises: “Misinformation kills and undermines protection efforts. It is essential that communities take ownership of the outcomes of this workshop by reporting threats in a timely manner and avoiding the spread of false information, particularly on social media.”
Young people also played an active role in the discussions. Eric Sikuli, President of the Communal Youth Council of Lubero, emphasized the relevance of the topics addressed: “We identified the main threats to civilian protection and gained a better understanding of MONUSCO’s mandate during its transition phase. It is important that the population is able to report threats effectively and receive rapid responses from the authorities.”
The workshop focused in particular on the structuring of local alert systems, the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders, and the challenges involved in moving from an alert to an effective response.
As such, the workshop served as a platform for dialogue, coordination, and capacity-building, helping to improve civilian protection and strengthen community resilience in the Lubero territory.
Community alert mechanisms have been established by MONUSCO in several regions to enable the Force, together with its Congolese military and police partners, to respond rapidly and provide assistance to civilians facing threats.
Jean-Tobie Okala
