Women and Peace-Building in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Citation:

Sadie, Yolanda. 2010. “Women and Peace-Building in the Democratic Republic of Congo.” Strategic Review for Southern Africa 32 (1): 31–57.

Author: Yolanda Sadie

Abstract:

Mobuto's fall from power in 1997 ended a repressive dictatorship of 30 years in the Congo. However, 'The War of Partition and Plunder' followed, and lasted from 1998 to 2003. Despite the signing of a Peace Agreement in 2003, the implementation of a new constitution in February 2006, and subsequent multi-party presidential and legislative elections that took place in the same year, fighting in the eastern part of the Congo has escalated since 2007. The devastating effects of the war and the resulting humanitarian crisis resulted in both the international community as well as the Congolese engaging in peace-building efforts in the country. This article explores the nature of the involvement of Congolese women in peace-building. Peace-building, or Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development as it is termed by the African Union, is a multi-dimensional approach, which, according to the African Union's Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development strategy, encompasses six indicative elements. These serve as the framework for analysis.

Topics: Armed Conflict, Development, Gender, Women, Governance, Constitutions, Elections, Peacebuilding, Post-Conflict, Post-Conflict Reconstruction Regions: Africa, Central Africa Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo

Year: 2010