UN Women support to the Strategic Note for DRC

In the annual report for 2022, UN Women highlights the following achievements and developments in the country. A new law on reparation for victims was voted, adopted, and promulgated to protect and rehabilitate victims of sexual violence related to conflicts, crimes against peace and security of humanity. An advocacy process was conducted by women leaders from civil society with the support of UN Women. UNW support helped ensure a good coordination to ensure the effective implementation of the Women Peace and security agenda through the capacity strengthening of the National gender ministry, the support of 28 institutions. Furthermore, as targeted in the country UNSCDF, political dialogue at the national, provincial, and local levels and alternative conflict resolution mechanisms have been promoted and contribute to social cohesion and a culture of peace. UN Women work at the local level was also crucial in mobilizing women and giving them opportunity to voice and ensure a consideration of their concerns in the peace process. UNW and the African Women Leaders Network/AWLN organized a support mission to the women delegates at the Nairobi consultations, on the margins of various working sessions, as outlined in the Nairobi III agenda. That helped obtain women concern considered in the recommendation of the takings. Furthermore, women developed a roadmap for peace in DRC. One of the key results is the availability of a National 1325 Secretariat website that provides access to all tools and resources related to the implementation of Resolution 1325 and the National 1325 Action Plan. Similarly, the availability of a database registering the organizations active in the field of women's peace and security in 6 provinces of the Eastern DRC thanks to the support of UN Women. The establishment of resource kiosks in Kasai, Kasaï Central and Sankuru to facilitate access to information for women and young people in the region. The Swedish support had an important impact for these results however also the partnership UN Women has with the government of Norway was an undeniable contribution to the achievement of these results. Gender coordination within the UN system has been revitalized. A strong Interagency collaboration marked the work on UN Womens coordination mandate via the main collaboration platforms, the One One (including the UN System agencies and embassies) and the One UN Gender Team (including gender focal points of UN System agencies). UN Women has also positioned itself as a key partner of MONUSCO with regards to the withdrawal of its peacekeeping force. Through the recruitment of a consultant and the constitution of a steering committee, along with the provision of technical gender expertise. UN Women has spearheaded a gender and human rights sensitive conflict analysis to ensure that gender is taken into consideration throughout the process. UN Women has developed joint initiatives with UNFPA (in the field of sexual and reproductive health) and UNDP (one to support the electoral cycle and another for the prevention of electoral violence). UN Women DRC has partnered with the European Union and the African Development Bank in order to elaborate a Country Gender Equality Profile, which aims to provide a valuable insight into gender equality in the country and inform national authorities gender strategy. To broaden the gender coordination to young people and make them stakeholders in the process of gender mainstreaming and the fight against GBV, the National Youth Council and the National Volunteer Service actively participated in a generation-at-large dialogue, in the gender cafe and in the special WG on the launch of the women's table. The members of these structures were also trained on the integration of gender in the national policy, strategy, and programs. In addition to their networking with above mentioned actors such as the UN and EU, UN Women also have key partnerships with state actors, civil society and networks and the private sector. They also show a number of activities and results reached under the four impact areas of the Strategic Note: 1, Governance and Women Political Participation/ Women fully and equally participate in leadership and decision-making and women and girls benefit from gender-responsive governance. 2, Women have income security, decent work, and economic autonomy. 3, All women and girls live a life free from all forms of violence. And 4: Women and girls contribute and have greater influence in building sustainable peace and resilience and benefit equally from the prevention of natural disasters and conflicts and from humanitarian action.