On Saturday, March 8, 2025, people worldwide are celebrating International Women’s Day under the theme: rights, empowerment, and opportunities for all displaced women and girls around the globe. While many are focusing on the festive aspects of the day, the Lumbist Movement (MSL), following the ideology of the late Senator Pierre Lumbi, is taking a different approach. Led by its president, Chantal Ngoyi Tshite Wetshi, the MSL is directing its attention to the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where many women are facing systematic violence in a war-torn context, exacerbated by the presence of the M23-AFC rebels, supported by Rwanda.
Expressions of Solidarity
In light of these challenging circumstances, Chantal Ngoyi Tshite Wetshi and all the women of the MSL have expressed their solidarity with their counterparts in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, who are enduring a complex situation. “On this somber March 8, 2025, myself and all the women of the MSL stand in solidarity with all the women who have been suffering from the ravages of war in the east of our country for over three decades,” she declared.
Concerned about the ongoing conflict in the east, the MSL, during a recruitment event in early February, pledged to play a crucial role in mobilizing Congolese citizens to unite in support of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) to combat the enemy and push them beyond the borders of the country. Emphasizing the importance of young people taking responsibility in defending the nation.
Challenges and Advocacy
As the DRC continues to grapple with war in the east, the country commemorates International Women’s Day under the theme: “The Congolese Woman at the Center of All Ambitions.” According to the Ministry of Gender in the DRC, sexual violence against women and girls remains a harsh reality. In response to this situation, the ministry has pledged that the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will be an opportunity for the DRC to advocate to the diaspora and friendly nations to denounce Rwandan expansionism and the daily violence inflicted on the civilian population, especially women and children in the eastern part of the country.
Samyr LUKOMBO, a journalist who closely follows the situation in the DRC, expressed his support for the efforts of organizations like the MSL in standing up for the rights and well-being of women in conflict-affected areas. “It is heartening to see groups like the MSL taking a proactive stance in addressing the challenges faced by women in the DRC, particularly those in regions impacted by ongoing violence,” he remarked.
In a world where women continue to bear the brunt of conflict and displacement, initiatives like those undertaken by the MSL serve as beacons of hope, offering support and solidarity to those who need it most. As the international community marks this important day, the voices of women in war-torn regions like the DRC must be amplified and their rights protected. Only through collective action and advocacy can lasting change be achieved for all women and girls around the world.