Kinshasa, October 12th, 2026 (CPA) – The establishment of a South-South solidarity fund to finance women’s peace-building initiatives has been recommended on Sunday, at the close of the International Forum of Women’s Elites (Fief), held in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to the event’s report consulted on Monday. “During the four (4) days of the Fief’s proceedings, a number of recommendations emerged, notably to establish a South-South solidarity fund to finance women’s peace-building initiatives, and to implement post-forum monitoring mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of the pan-African Fief movement,” it is read.
According to the source, it has also been recommended that positive masculinity should not be confined to mere declarations, but should be translated into actions and decisions that have a positive impact on our respective communities. “States must commit to providing substantial funding for these 12 priority areas of the Beijing Platform for Action, and women must be encouraged to learn about and embrace fields traditionally considered the preserve of men,” the document has added. To the authorities, it has been requested that they provide the resources to better combat breast cancer; and to the public authorities, the participants insisted on the establishment of sustainable mechanisms for the care of displaced persons and returnees. The creation of a network of women leaders to share experiences and mediation techniques is among the recommendations put forward for consideration.
The key lessons for strengthening African women’s leadership
Furthermore, following the various speeches and discussions with Forum participants, twelve key lessons were identified to boost the leadership and empowerment of women and girls, amongst other things, according to the source. These include, in particular, leadership being viewed as a source of energy and a long-term struggle, and artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for economic independence that women can use to undertake training and learn how to increase their resilience and capacity for learning. The participants have also emphasised the positive use of social media.
At the close of the closing ceremony of the 12th edition of the Fief, a dove – a symbol of peace – has been presented to Micheline Ombae, the Congolese Minister in charge of Gender, Family and Children (GFAE), by all the African delegations. The Fief was held from September 8th to 11th, focusing on artificial intelligence (AI), digital entrepreneurship, women’s leadership, women’s rights, sexual and reproductive health, peacebuilding, and other topics. The next edition of this pan-African event will be organised by the Republic of Benin.