CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE: UNFPA Supports Women to Legislative Elections
Les Depeches de Brazzaville reported on 12 June on a town hall meeting on women’s mobilization and engagement in the electoral process, held by UNFPA Representative David Lawson, in the economic capital of Pointe-Noire. With local elected officials and a Women's Affairs Ministry representative, Mr. Lawson underlined the under-representation of women in Congo politics - only 5 ministers out of 37 and 10% and 13% of women in the National Assembly and Senate. He stressed the need for women’s empowerment and participation in the upcoming legislative elections on 15 July and said, "Women are essential to national development and should therefore engage in public affairs, along with men. Women under-representation in politics is not a man problem, it is not a woman problem...it is Congolese problem." Read in French: Les Depeches de Brazzaville