Around fifty women held at the Bunia central prison, in Ituri Province, received non-food hygiene assistance on Monday, 9 March 2026. The initiative, conducted by UNFPA and MONUSCO as part of International Women’s Rights Day, aims to uphold the dignity and well-being of women deprived of liberty.
Each woman received a bucket, a piece of cloth (pagne), soap, slippers, and other essential hygiene items. In a context where access to hygiene products remains a major challenge in many Congolese prisons, this support contributes to ongoing efforts to improve detention conditions.
According to Angélique Dikume, UNFPA Bunia Gender-Based Violence officer: “Maintaining proper hygiene in prison is difficult for them. They face many challenges regarding access to water, toilets, and private space. These conditions expose them to gynecological infections.”
The beneficiaries welcomed this assistance with relief. One woman explained: “We used old pieces of cloth that we washed and dried inside the cell. They often didn’t dry properly, which caused infections.”
Camille Nzonzi, Director of Bunia Central Prison, described the assistance as an act of compassion: “The needs are urgent and permanent. As a director, I do not always have the means to provide what they require. I appreciate this gesture. MONUSCO’s support is invaluable.”
A sensitization session focusing on personal hygiene, menstrual hygiene management, and mental health in detention accompanied the distribution. Bunia Central Prison currently houses 2,045 detainees, including 50 women and 53 minors, despite an initial capacity of 500.
On 8 March, MONUSCO police officers joined over a thousand Congolese women in a peace march in Bunia, wearing white and green as symbols of hope.
Bangladeshi and Nepalese MONUSCO contingents also organized awareness activities on sexual and gender-based violence in various Ituri locations, including Ndoromo, Gina, Blukwa, and Fataki.
Through these actions, MONUSCO reaffirms its commitment to supporting Congolese authorities and women in efforts to reduce sexual and gender-based violence in Ituri and across the DRC.
Jean-Tobie Okala
