Participant in the session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) highlights progress, including increased presence of women in decision-making bodies, gender equality enshrined in the Constitution, and a more comprehensive approach to addressing violence against women.
In an interview with UN News, the Minister of Gender, Family, and Children, Micheline Omba Kalama, emphasizes: “It is not enough just to punish or sanction, but it is also necessary to repair”.
In the east of the country, conflict-related sexual violence remains one of the deepest injustices. It is, she points out, “used as a weapon of war” to “diminish” women, make them “incapable of thinking or resisting”, with lasting consequences.
Despite persistent obstacles, particularly in conflict-affected areas where access to victims remains difficult, Congolese authorities intend to strengthen access to justice, notably through revitalizing courts and holding mobile court sessions.
But the response does not stop at sanctions. The DRC also focuses on reparations, through the National Fund for Victims’ Reparation and integrated care centers, allowing survivors to “rebuild their lives” and reintegrate into society.
The minister also emphasizes the promotion of “positive masculinity” – encouraging men, from a young age, to recognize women’s abilities and consider them as equals – as well as a “zero tolerance” policy towards perpetrators of violence, in order to prevent these crimes and strengthen judicial response. (Interview: Micheline Omba Kalama, Minister of Gender, Family, and Children of the DRC; interview conducted by Cristina Silveiro)
