Project profile — Support of Women's Capacity to Mediate Electoral Conflicts in DRC

• Congo, Democratic Republic (100.00%)

• Elections:
Elections (15151) (30.00%)
Women's rights organisations and movements, and government institutions (15170) (30.00%)
• Conflict Prevention And Resolution, Peace And Security: Civilian peace-building, conflict prevention and resolution (15220) (40.00%)

• Gender equality (principal objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

The project is designed to contribute to peace consolidation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by getting women significantly involved in a peaceful electoral process. The project is helping to improve women’s participation in managing electoral conflicts and in promoting civic education in 10 provinces. Project activities include: (1) building the capacity of 45 women leaders in electoral conflict mediation and management; (2) organizing three capacity-building workshops for 45 women candidates or potential candidates on developing communication strategies in an election period, the various legal instruments protecting women, and advocacy; (3) organizing 16 advocacy missions about appointing women and girls to decision-making positions; (4) subsidizing 16 women’s organizations so they can implement projects pertaining to outreach, women’s participation in the electoral process, preventing and managing electoral conflicts, electoral observation and monitoring the status of women; and (5) organizing three capacity-building sessions on civic education and electoral observation for 30 women and girl leaders.

The expected results of this project include: (1) improved access to decision-making bodies for aspiring women candidates in national and provincial elections in the DRC; (2) increased awareness among national and provincial authorities and traditional leaders about supporting the significant involvement of women in decision-making bodies; and (3) improved access for women and men, including young women and men, to electoral dialogue forums organized by women’s organizations to ensure electoral monitoring and, if necessary, mediation of electoral conflicts in 10 provinces.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (August 2019) include: (1) 64 electoral conflicts were identified, documented and debated. The members of the various peace huts resolved all disagreements with women and girl electoral conflict mediators; (2) 56 women candidates in the legislative and provincial elections of December 30, 2018, received training on developing campaign plans to run for office; (3) 16 women’s organizations, based in the provinces of Haut Uélé, Ituri, Kinshasa, Kongo Central, Maniema, North Kivu, Tanganyika, Tshopo and South Kivu, received grants and implemented projects on women's participation in the electoral process and electoral conflict prevention; and (4) 437 women benefited directly from funded project activities.

• Proactive disclosure