More than 1000 participants signed the Congolese Women’s Declaration at the AWID Forum, Cape Town, 15 November 2008.

“We ask all nations across the globe to take note of the holocaust of the millennium which is happening right now in the DRC, with total indifference and lack of concern from the international community. Six million of deaths, two millions internally displaced, thousands of raped women and girls”, the Declaration says.

Congolese Women’s Declaration at AWID Forum

Cape Town, 15 November 2008

1. As representatives of women’s organizations from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), gathered at the 11th International  AWID Forum on “women’s rights and development” held in Cape Town, from 14th to 17th November 2008;
2. Revolted by the repeated wars, in particular the recent one led by Laurent Nkunda and its National Congress for People’s Defense (CNDP) against public institutions established after long political negotiations (1999-2003), legitimized by the new Constitution and the 2006 elections;
3. We denounce the support to CNDP from external forces through neighboring countries which signed peace agreements in the Great Lakes region;
4. We denounce CNDP attacks targeting civilians who are not actively involved in war, particularly women and children. We also denounce human rights abuses perpetrated by all armed groups including DRC army (FARDC), in violation of the Goma peace agreement signed in January 2008.
5. We request a declaration of solidarity from the more than two thousand women meeting in this 11th AWID Forum; in order to end the war in the DRC. We are convinced that if women across the world show their solidarity to Congolese women against the war; ourselves and our families will be spared;
6. We ask all nations across the globe to take note of the holocaust of the millennium which is happening right now in the DRC, with total indifference and lack of concern from the international community. Six million of deaths, two millions internally displaced, thousands of raped women and girls;
7. We are calling upon the United Nations and African Union to immediately act to protect civilians, due to the DRC government’s limit to do so.