Even though women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are undoubtedly marginalized in formal political life, they are not completely absent from the political arena. Congolese women are involved in the exercise of local public authority in a variety of ways. While women’s organizations are important for promoting peace, the effects of women’s involvement in governance have not been unequivocally positive in terms of peace and stability. Women’s participation in the political arena should be encouraged. In the absence of other, more substantial reforms, the mere inclusion of women does not guarantee the transformation of institutions as a whole or their modes of governing.
