A recent Café politique event in Kinshasa, organized by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and Dynamique des politologues de la RDC (DYPOL), brought together researchers, politicians, and civil society figures to discuss the challenges and opportunities for women in DRC politics. The event aimed to analyze the obstacles to women's empowerment and formulate concrete reform proposals. With women now making up 13% of the National Assembly and 40% of the government, progress has been made, but more needs to be done.
Marie-Josée Ifoku, a prominent woman politician and candidate in the 2023 presidential election, acknowledged the progress made but highlighted the difficulties women face in the male-dominated political arena. She emphasized the need to encourage and support women in politics, citing the prevalence of violence and intimidation. Ifoku praised the efforts made so far, including the increase in women's representation in parliament and government, but stressed that more work is needed to ensure women have a real impact on public decision-making.
Angélique Muadi Kasansa, a researcher and lecturer at the University of Kinshasa, called for a fundamental shift in the way men and women interact in politics. She rejected the idea of "complementarity" and advocated for a genuine partnership between men and women, where both share the same vision and work together to achieve common goals. Muadi warned against internal divisions and emphasized the importance of intergenerational solidarity, encouraging women to support and uplift each other.
Maneno Riziki Kibandou, a national deputy and vice-president of the Network of Female Parliamentarians (REFEPA), identified sociocultural and institutional barriers as major obstacles to women's empowerment. She emphasized the need to challenge stereotypes that confine women to domestic roles and to recognize women's competence and capacity for leadership. Kibandou also lamented the ineffectiveness of existing regulatory frameworks and called for sanctions against non-compliant political parties.
Christian Moleka, coordinator of DYPOL, summarized the key takeaways from the event, highlighting the need to move beyond mere representation and focus on the effectiveness of women's action in politics. He identified financial constraints, sociocultural barriers, and restrictive laws as major obstacles to women's participation. Moleka emphasized the need for a comprehensive reform of the electoral framework and social practices to ensure women's real and effective access to decision-making bodies.
The event concluded with a call to action, emphasizing that while progress has been made in increasing women's representation, the real battle lies in ensuring women's leadership has a tangible impact on public policy. Participants stressed the importance of an inclusive democracy, where women's voices are heard and valued. They also highlighted the need for women to be prepared and supported to take on leadership roles.
The Café politique event demonstrated that building an inclusive democracy requires more than just representation; it demands real influence and power for women in politics. With the support of organizations like the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and DYPOL, women's voices are being amplified, and their role in shaping the future of the DRC is being recognized.
Key points
- Women in DRC politics are pushing for more than just representation, seeking real influence in public decision-making.
