Women of the Congo Speak Out at OSI-Supported Summit

The Open Society Institute International Women's Program and the Open Society Institute for Southern Africa co-hosted a national summit on empowerment and leadership to promote women's rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in March. The three-day event focused on violence against women, peace and security, and women's political participation, providing a rare opportunity for 65 women from across 11 provinces to share their experiences and bring joint policy suggestions to their leaders' attention.

Speakers at the conference included Patricia Sellers, international legal expert on prosecuting sexual violence, and Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and UN high commissioner for human rights.

On the final day, participants presented a unified national action plan to government, UN, NGO, and donor representatives. The International Women's Program and the Institute for Southern Africa will build on the momentum created by this summit through continued advocacy and grantmaking to promote and protect women's rights.