DRC: WFP calls for solidarity with Congolese women
On this 8th of March, the World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a heartfelt plea to the international community to urgently address the dire situation of Congolese women living in total insecurity in North Kivu.
The WFP supports the Congolese government on food-related issues in conflict zones.
According to their data, over 1.7 million pregnant or lactating women and young girls suffer from acute malnutrition, putting their lives and those of their children at risk.
The number of people, including women, in need of food assistance is expected to increase from 6.4 million to 8.4 million in 2024.
«We must not overlook the incredible role of women in building the future of this nation. Investing in women and girls is not just about meeting urgent humanitarian needs. It is a strategic commitment to sustainable development and national resilience», stated Cindy McCain, the head of WFP, in a press release.
It has also been observed that during food shortages, women are forced to make heart-wrenching choices, sacrificing their own nutrition to ensure their children have enough to eat.
According to WFP, «this cycle of deprivation not only perpetuates the cycle of poverty but also undermines the resilience of entire communities».
Today, all signals are red regarding the situation of women in North Kivu. In a context where armed men behave like «kings of the forest», women are threatened by the law of the jungle, on various levels: individual, familial, and communal.
Anything seems permissible in these remote and inaccessible rural areas, and it is impossible to specify the number of women killed during these conflicts.
Hopefully, a lasting solution will be swiftly found by the state to end the plight of women in North Kivu.
Jean-Robert TCHANDY
