More than 20,000 people reached by successful advocacy campaign on a gender-sensitive electoral law in the Democratic Republic of Congo   

Campaign urges equal access of women and men to electoral mandates and electoral offices

[DEC. 29, 2005]  KINSHASA, Congo -- A two-week advocacy campaign to promote equal access of women and men to electoral mandates and electoral offices concluded in late November in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The campaign was organized two months before an upcoming parliamentary debate on a draft electoral law that will guide the holding of elections and a national referendum on the constitution. It targeted government officials, leaders of political parties, private and public institutions, and civil society networks to call for an electoral law and constitution that would be gender-sensitive and that would provide equal opportunities for men and women to claim their civic rights and participate in their country's development.

Activities during the campaign focused on raising awareness and stimulating debate on the need for an electoral law and constitution that take into account the rights of both men and women. The campaign employed a mix of media, through which more than 20,000 people were reached, using 20 radio and television channels, 25 newspapers, and a petition entitled "2,500 reasons to vote for a proportional electoral system with closed and alternate electoral lists."

The campaign was organized by various women's networks and organizations, all working together under a "Coalition for Gender Equality" and supported by the United Nations Development Fund for Women, in partnership with the United Nations Development Program, MONUC, the Independent Electoral Commission, and the Ministry of Women and Family Affairs.

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[Provided by the Good News Agency]