Kinshasa, March 9th, 2022 (CPA).– The President of the Republic, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, reaffirmed his desire to elevate women to high responsibilities within the government and the main institutions of the DRC, in a message made public on Tuesday, via the twitter account of the Presidency of the Republic, on the occasion of the celebration of International Women’s Day. The Head of State, who is staying in Belgium with his wife, on the same occasion paid tribute to the courage, self-sacrifice and devotion of Congolese women active in all areas of life, before congratulate and particularly, those of the eastern provinces of the Republic for their resilience in the face of violence suffered on a daily basis for several years. Acclaimed Champion of Positive Masculinity by the African Union (AU) for his unwavering commitment to his fight against violence against women and girls, President Tshisekedi continues his fight. In the DRC, this day is celebrated under the theme: “the empowerment of women and girls in the context of the fight against climate change and disaster risk reduction”. By opting for this theme, which was announced last Friday by Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde at the 43rd meeting of the Council of Ministers, the objective is to raise women’s awareness of climate action for a better environment. At the international level, the theme chosen for this day is: “Equality today for sustainable development”. Officialized in 1977 by the United Nations, this day covers several events around the world with the aim of emphasizing the fight for women’s rights and in particular for the reduction of inequalities with respect to men. For the United Nations, advancing gender equality in the context of the climate crisis and disaster risk reduction is one of the great challenges of the 21st century. The UN recalls that women are more vulnerable to climate change than men, because they constitute the majority of the poorest populations and the most dependent on natural resources that the climate crisis threatens the most. At the same time, continues the UN, women and girls are powerful agents of change and leaders in climate adaptation. They are involved in sustainable initiatives around the world and their participation results in more effective climate action. For the UN, « without gender equality today, a sustainable and equal future remains beyond our reach ».
International Women’s Rights Day: President Félix Tshisekedi reaffirms his desire to elevate women to high responsibilities
