Democratic Republic of Congo
Last Updated on Monday, 16 January 2012 10:46 Written by Communications Monday, 14 June 2010 13:14
Background
AWEPA first started working in the DRC with the Legislative Constituent Assembly – Transitional Parliament (ACLPT). Since then, AWEPA has focused on supporting the National Parliament as well as enhancing the skills of its members. According to national and international observers of Congolese politics, the Parliament was the best functioning institution in 2008. In spite of a temporary crisis between the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009, Parliament resumed its work and several laws were voted in and promulgated in 2009.
The Congolese Parliament represents a symbol of democracy as it is the place where young Congolese exercise their legislative rights and their authority to control the actions of government.
In 2006 AWEPA organised missions to observe the legislative and presidential elections. After consultation with the Electoral Commission and its partners in the Congolese parliament, AWEPA is prepared to organise a new mission in 2011.
Objectives
Results
• Due to the low level of representation of women following the 2006 elections and the underrepresentation of women in decision-making bodies, several seminars were organised in different provinces. These seminars were aimed at raising the awareness of women in politics and civil society. Advocacy action for women was undertaken before the Leaders of political parties in cooperation with the Congolese Ministry for Relations with Parliament. This advocacy action resulted in two women being nominated for the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), which was set up to organise the 2011 elections, a real success for the AWEPA-DRC programme.
Example Activities
More than twenty activities were organised in the DRC during 2010 that reflect AWEPA´s core business: capacity building and parliamentary diplomacy. Capacity building concerns the National Parliament and some Provincial Assemblies.
The follow-up seminar on the Accra Action Plan was organised in collaboration with the National Assembly of the DRC in April 2010. It was enhanced by the presence of the Minister of Planning for DRC and governmental experts who exchanged views with members of the DRC National Assembly to consider developing a National Action Plan to make international aid more efficient.
AWEPA also organised decentralised activities in four Provinces of DRC. The nature of these decentralised activities were to strengthen the capacity of provincial institutions as well as its stakeholders, namely the men and women deputies and the staff members of the Provincial Assemblies.
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