Kinshasa, November 8th, 2026 (CPA).– On the occasion of the 26th anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of Resolution 1325 on “Women, Peace and Security”, the CPA held an interview in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with Ms. Winnie Tshilobo, National Coordinator of the 1325 Facility in the DRC, on the activities of this initiative in the country, funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and implemented by “Expertise France”. France is committed to advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda by contributing to the protection of women and girls, as well as their participation in processes aimed at preventing and resolving crises and conflicts.
CPA: As the 1325 Facility begins its activities in the DRC, what are the first contributions of “Expertise France” to the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and what major challenges do you identify in a context where sociocultural norms continue to limit women’s participation in peace processes?
Ms. Winnie Tshilobo: Regarding the initial contributions of “Expertise France”, they revolve around three main areas.
The first concerns the structuring and support of public institutions. We are supporting the Ministry of Gender, through the National Permanent Secretariat for Resolution 1325, in strengthening the national coordination mechanism for the National Action Plan (NAP) 1325, improving monitoring tools and consolidating consultation frameworks between state and non-state actors. The second area focuses on strengthening the capacities of feminist organizations. The 1325 Facility supports civil society organizations involved in conflict prevention, community mediation and advocacy for women’s participation. The initial partnerships are helping to identify needs, structure networks and prepare future calls for project proposals. Beyond the national level, at provincial level, particularly in Ituri and Tshopo, we are working to provide practical tools, including assessments, training programs, methodological guides and monitoring frameworks. (…) The Women, Peace and Security mechanisms are still poorly institutionalized, particularly in the provinces, where coordination remains inadequate. Finally, the resources allocated to the NAP 1325 are still limited and remain insufficient.
CPA: In a context where women remain underrepresented in decision-making forums relating to peace and security, how does the “Expertise France” approach, inspired by the principles of feminist diplomacy, contribute to sustainably transforming local power dynamics? What key recommendation would you make to strengthen the impact of French expertise in implementing Resolution 1325 in the DRC?
W.T.: Indeed, the “Expertise France” approach is inspired by the principles of feminist diplomacy, which are based on a simple conviction: women must be fully involved in decisions concerning peace and security. It is really that simple. Women must also be at the center as actors in peace and security.
This approach contributes to sustainably transforming local power dynamics. For example, by strengthening the capacity of institutions to integrate gender considerations into public peace policies, supporting feminist organizations working closely with communities, creating inclusive dialogue spaces between authorities, civil society organizations and local leaders, and also recognizing women’s expertise in conflict prevention and mediation. As for the recommendation, my key recommendation for strengthening the impact of French cooperation is to consolidate national ownership by supporting Congolese expertise and local feminist initiatives, strengthening Women, Peace and Security coordination mechanisms, ensuring close coordination between the national and provincial levels, and promoting synergies between institutions and civil society.
CPA: What strategy does Expertise France intend to deploy under the 1325 Facility to transform Resolution 1325 in the DRC from an international normative framework into an instrument for structural change rooted in local realities and promoting the effective and inclusive participation of women where peace is negotiated?
W.T.: The strategy of Expertise France aims to make Resolution 1325 an instrument for structural transformation, rooted in local realities and driven by Congolese actors.
Expertise France is not seeking to tell Congolese stakeholders what they should do, but rather to support transformation at the Congolese level, in order to ensure the sustainability and ownership of the priorities of this resolution. This strategy is based on four pillars. The first involves strengthening public institutions through support to the Ministry of Gender, via the national and provincial 1325 secretariats, consolidating the coordination mechanism for the NAP 1325, supporting priority provinces, namely Ituri and Tshopo, and producing technical tools. The second pillar involves supporting feminist organizations. Through a call for project proposals, the Facility identified “Sauti ya Mama Mukongomani” (SMM), a member of the National 1325 Secretariat, as a leading umbrella organization. It will support local feminist organizations, particularly in Ituri, through grants and technical assistance. The third pillar is the territorially based approach in conflict-affected areas. The Facility operates as close as possible to local realities, adapting its interventions to the specific circumstances of each province. The fourth pillar is based on creating inclusive dialogue spaces through consultations involving authorities, civil society, community leaders and local stakeholders, in order to ensure women’s effective participation wherever peace is negotiated. CPA/