Unelected women candidates gather to build on their experiences

Carine, the Coordinator of DYNAFEC, Her Excellency Chantal Safou, Minister of Gender, Child and Family, Mme. Awa Ndiaye Seck, UN Women Representative in the DRC, Ms. Anna Mayimona, Civil Society Credit : Carlos Ngeleka, ONU Femmes RDC

Kinshasa, May 17, 2019 – Over 3000 women from Kinshasa and the provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo have joined forces to launch, with the support of UN Women, UNDP and Canada, the National Dynamics of Women Candidate – DYNAFEC in order to capitalize and build on the experiences of unelected women candidates from the December 2018 elections. This platform would make it possible to prepare women and girls for better political participation and to achieve more favorable results in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, in local elections and to better position them in relation to future appointments.

The DYNAFEC becomes the first political platform in the DRC gathering women candidates for a common cause: a greater participation of women in politics and beyond their geographical affiliations or their political parties. This initiative was supported by the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, through the Minister of Gender, Ms. Chantal Safou, by the National Assembly with the participation of the Questor, Ms. Alfani Machozi Marie-Claire and by the Senate, represented by Ms. Francine Muyumba.

The members of the government and the Senat at the forefront of the guests Credit : Carlos Ngeleka, ONU Femmes RDC.

The International Community has massively participated in the launching of the DYNAFEC with a representation of 13 Embassies including 4 Ambassadors – H.E Nicolas Simard, Ambassador of Canada; H.E Thomas Terstegen, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany; H.E Robert Schuddeboom, Ambassador of the Netherlands and H.E Eva Yelina Silva Walker, Ambassador of Cuba – who were present at the launch. Other represented countries included Benin, Angola, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Namibia, Gabon, China, Côte d'Ivoire and the Republic of Congo.

View of participants: Political women of all walks of life, civil society and the media Credit : Carlos Ngeleka, ONU Femmes RDC

DYNAFEC Coordinator, Ms. Carine Kanku, reminded that the preparation for the elections is imminent, that the failures have allowed to gain experience and develop knowledge that is worth sharing to amplify the political participation of women. The National Civil Society praised the initiative and said to be ready to support the work of the DYNAFEC so that more women contribute to the political life of the DRC.