Gender integration and peacebuilding in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
The eastern region of DR Congo is an area that has been plagued by repeated wars and armed conflicts for more than two decades. This study looks at gender integration and peacebuilding in eastern DR Congo, more precisely in the territory of Uvira in South Kivu. To produce a scientific analysis, we asked ourselves one main question: how do local women’s committees contribute to and participate in peacebuilding?
Agency theory was used as the theoretical starting point of this study. It enabled us to discover the power of action of women and men who formed local peace committees. These committees have enabled women and men from different classes, ethnic groups, religions, professions and other categories (e.g. persons with a disability), long excluded from the processes, to become involved in conflict resolution and see peacebuilding activism as a social transformation for sustainable development. These women and men have developed the power to act on their own, regardless of the perception of socio-cultural constructs.
The empirical data was collected through qualitative analysis, semi-structured interviews and focus groups carried out in the Uvira territory in South Kivu. This study analyses and explains how and why women and men excluded from the peace process came together in local peace committees to facilitate the integration of gender into the peacebuilding process and the restoration of security in local governance. It explains how local peace committees have influenced gender relations in peace negotiation arenas in a society where the patriarchal system is more prevalent.