Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Commend the Republic of the Congo on the Mouébara Act, Raise Questions on Women’s Access to Justice and Clandestine Abortions
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today considered the eighth periodic report of the Republic of the Congo, with Committee Experts commending the State on the Mouébara Act which combatted violence against women, while raising questions on women’s access to justice and on clandestine abortions in the country.
Esther Eghobamien, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for the Congo, said extensive constitutional, legal and public policy reforms, and strategic approaches adopted by the Congo were commendable, including the celebrated Mouébara Act no. 19 of 2022 to combat violence against women, which specifically defined discrimination against women as in article 11 for the first time. Many unique provisions of the law aligned with international human rights law and if effectively implemented, should guarantee protection for women on many fronts, including against sexual harassment.
A Committee Expert asked how the State was working with customary courts and informal justice actors to form a path for the protection of the rights of women and girls under customary law? What concrete steps were being taken to improve and enhance access to quality justice, including through the provision of legal aid and addressing awareness in the justice sector? How was the State party ensuring that the Mouébara Act was implemented, so that gaps could be closed?
Another Committee Expert said complications from clandestine abortions were responsible for up to 30 per cent of maternal deaths. Use of contraceptives in the country was very low. What specific measures were being taken to ensure people knew about the risks of early pregnancies? What measures were being taken to ensure that women facing complications relating to insecure abortions received full medical support? How was access to health services without criminalisation ensured, particularly for women involved in clandestine abortion? What measures would be taken to legalise abortion?
The delegation said work was being carried out at the grassroots level with community leaders on the rights of women. Access to justice was guaranteed under the law and bolstered via the Mouébara Act. The national action plan for tackling gender-based violence had a staff, who were also active in ensuring women had access to justice. There had been training sessions for judges and judicial staff so they understood the new laws and how their provisions needed to be applied in the courts. More than 1,000 judicial staff had undergone training so far. The Mouébara Act contained specific actions for judges, and judges received specific training on it.
The delegation said the Republic of the Congo banned the voluntary interruption of pregnancy, due to terrible past situations relating to abusive abortions in inappropriate locations. The State monitored specific cases. There had been a case involving incest where a girl was pregnant with twins and her father was responsible. In this case, to have access to an abortion, she would need to go through the courts and the judge should accept the procedure for termination of pregnancy, taking into consideration the health of the mother. These were exceptional cases, and the State was following this policy to limit any potential health problems.
Introducing the report, Inès Bertille Nefer Ingani Voumbo Yalo, Minister for the Promotion of Women, Integration of Women in Development and Informal Economy of the Republic of the Congo and head of the delegation, said many steps had been taken to enhance women’s participation in political and public life, including the national programme for the promotion of women's leadership in political life, which strengthened the capacities of more than 3,000 women in politics, leadership, and communication. The representation of women in institutions and decision-making spheres in the Republic of the Congo was experiencing a real improvement. The Republic of the Congo aimed to be a model in the implementation of the Convention.
In her closing remarks, Nahla Haidar, Committee Chair, said the Committee was impressed by the number of legal initiatives and texts being developed by the State party and the work being undertaken on the ground to translate those texts into something real.
Ms. Ingani Voumbo Yalo thanked the Committee for the efforts and the constructive dialogue. The Republic of the Congo was committed to moving forwards to improve the wellbeing and rights of women.
The delegation of the Congo was comprised of representatives from the Ministry for the Promotion of Women, the Integration of Women in Development and the Informal Economy; the Ministry of Social Affairs, Solidarity and Humanitarian Action; the Ministry of Justice, Human Rights and the Promotion of Indigenous Peoples; the National Action Programme for the Fight against Violence against Women; the Communications and Information Technology Services Department; the Directorate of Cooperation; the Association of Women Lawyers in the Congo; the National Human Rights Commission; and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Congo to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’s ninetieth session is being held from 3 to 21 February. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.
The Committee will next meet at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 13 February to begin its consideration of the ninth periodic report of Sri Lanka (CEDAW/C/LKA/9).
Report
The Committee has before it the eighth periodic report of the Congo (CEDAW/C/COG/8).
Presentation of Report
INÈS BERTILLE NEFER INGANI VOUMBO YALO, Minister for the Promotion of Women, Integration of Women in Development and Informal Economy of the Republic of the Congo and head of the delegation, said the promotion of equal human and women's rights was one of the major pillars of the Congolese Government's action. Many steps had been taken to enhance women’s participation in political and public life, including the national programme for the promotion of women's leadership in political life, which strengthened the capacities of more than 3,000 women in politics, leadership, and communication. The representation of women in institutions and decision-making spheres in the Republic of the Congo was experiencing a real improvement. There were now 100 per cent of women on the Women’s Advisory Council, 47 per cent of women in the judiciary, 25 per cent of women in the high court of justice, and 15 per cent of women credited as ambassadors, among others.
Since the last dialogue with the Committee, the Republic of the Congo had strengthened and evolved its normative and institutional framework by adopting several texts, including the law establishing the right of asylum and refugee status; the law on combatting trafficking in persons; the law on sustainable environmental management; the Mouébara Act on combatting violence against women and its implementing texts; and the law establishing the Mouébara Centre for the reception and rehabilitation of women and girls victims of violence, among others. The draft law on parity was in the process of being adopted.
Many activities had been carried out to promote and protect women's rights, such as the establishment of the National Committee of Women Mediators for Peace; the adoption of the national strategy (2021-2025) to combat gender-based violence; the training of women magistrates in the courts of appeal on domestic violence; and the training of more than 1,000 magistrates and other judicial personnel under the jurisdiction of the five courts of appeal on the application of the Convention, the Mouébara Act on combatting violence against women, and the holistic care of victims of violence against women. The Mouébara Centre for the rehabilitation of women victims of violence would benefit from a two-hectare plot of land in the centre of Brazzaville and a budget line of two billion FCFA for its construction in 2025.
With regard to maternal and child health, the national health development plan 2023-2026 covered caesarean section and other complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, free antimalarial drugs for children aged 0 to 15 years old, as well as the care of children with sickle cell anaemia. Other strategies to combat maternal and child mortality had been developed, including the integrated strategic plans for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health 2022-2026. These actions made it possible to reduce the maternal mortality ratio from 304 deaths to less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births over a period of three years.
Regarding the fight against HIV/AIDS, there had been a considerable reduction in the prevalence rate of mother-to-child transmission, as well as an increase in antiretroviral coverage among pregnant women, from 10 per cent in 2019 to 43 per cent in 2023. Awareness campaigns were being conducted in schools and in grassroots communities to combat teenage pregnancies in the Congo.
To improve women's access to education, the Republic of the Congo adopted the national policy for integrated early childhood development 2022-2030; the national strategy for girls' schooling; and the education sector strategy 2021-2030. Schooling was compulsory for all until the age of 16, textbooks were free, and wearing a uniform was compulsory to fight against discrimination against the most disadvantaged children. The positive masculinity approach to combat violence against women and girls had raised awareness among nearly 4,000 students from different departments on family life, education, gender stereotypes and awareness against violence in schools.
The Congo was continuing efforts to ensure women's empowerment through support for women's and mixed groups as part of the programme for the development of protected agricultural areas. Funding had been granted to women carrying out income-generating activities. The Congo had also established a public support structure for small and medium-sized enterprises, called the "Impulse, Guarantee and Support Fund", allowing women entrepreneurs to benefit from training on entrepreneurial leadership.
Despite the progress made by the Republic of the Congo, significant challenges remained. The State was calling for multifaceted support from the international community for better management of issues related to the fight against all forms of discrimination against women and for the construction of the Mouébara Centre for the holistic care of victims of violence. The Republic of the Congo aimed to be a model in the implementation of the Convention.
Questions by Committee Experts
ESTHER EGHOBAMIEN, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for the Congo, said the State possessed vast oil and forest resources but still faced challenges in providing a high quality of life to citizens, particularly women and girls. Extensive constitutional, legal and public policy reforms, and strategic approaches adopted by the Congo were commendable, notably the 2017-2021 national gender policy and action plan; the promotion of women's leadership in politics and public life (2017-2021); the UNCR 1325 national action plan on women and peace and security (2021–2023); and the celebrated Mouébara Act no. 19 of 2022 to combat violence against women, which, specifically defined discrimination against women as in article 11 for the first time. Many unique provisions of the law aligned with international human rights law and if effectively implemented, should guarantee protection for women on many fronts, including against sexual harassment.
However, key policies had expired, progress was slow, and the rights of women and girls were continually threatened by violence. It was hoped the outcome of today’s dialogue would highlight thematic areas to build a future where gender equality was tangible and accessible to all women in the Congo.
How systematic was the training for judges? Was gender integrated into the curriculum for training? Did the Congo have legal aid as a service for women? What kind of capacity building was being given to the legislator?
A Committee Expert commended the State party for the Mouébara Act, and for the Constitution, which decreed equality between men and women. Had the State party conducted an assessment on existing laws to identify legal frameworks which contradicted existing policies on equality? What efforts was the State party taking to build the capacity of judges, prosecutors and the judiciary to apply the Convention in their work? How was the State working with customary courts and informal justice actors to form a path for the protection of the rights of women and girls under customary law?
What was the situation of women and human rights defenders working on the human rights of women in the country? What concrete steps were being taken to improve and enhance access to quality justice, including through the provision of legal aid and addressing awareness in the justice sector? How was the State party ensuring that the Mouébara Act was implemented, so that gaps could be closed?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Mouébara Act was a significant legislative step, serving to resolve the different issues when it came to the protection of women. Previously there were no specific guarantees protecting women from violence. The Act allowed the State to criminalise various types of behaviour which did not respect the human rights of women. It was enacted two years ago and was increasingly being referred to and cited.
Work was being carried out at the grassroots level with community leaders on the rights of women. Departmental networks had been established in every department in the Congo, and in every department there was a network to eradicate violence against women and girls. Access to justice was guaranteed under the law and bolstered via the Mouébara Act. Gender-based violence focal points had been appointed in the courts. The national action plan for tackling gender-based violence had a staff, who were also active in ensuring women had access to justice.
There had been training sessions for judges and judicial staff so they understood the new laws and how their provisions needed to be applied in the courts. This included training on the Convention and the State’s strategy to eliminate violence against women. More than 1,000 judicial staff had undergone training so far. Regular criminal court hearings were held which allowed all those found guilty of violence against women to be prosecuted.
The Congo had been taking steps to improve prison settings, and women’s prisons were monitored and surveyed. Visits were conducted every year to ensure female prisoners were being treated appropriately. The Mouébara Act was the first comprehensive act in all of French-speaking Africa which criminalised violence against women. Steps had been taken to ensure the suspension of judges who did not fulfil their duties, to reassure all women they would receive a fair hearing. The Mouébara Act contained specific actions for judges, and judges received specific training on it.
Gender parity was provided for in the Constitution. The Congo had an Electoral Code which provided for parity and things were improving gradually. With each election, there was an increase in the number of women. There were dedicated lawyers to provide support to women during legal proceedings.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert commended the State party on its updated national action plan on women, peace and security with four specific pillars in line with the United Nations trust facility supporting cooperation on arms regulation 1325. How would civil society and women’s organizations be engaged in the implementation and monitoring of the plan? And what about the involvement of the security sector? How did the plan align with national development priorities and the establishment of an inclusive security architecture? What steps was the State party taking to adopt a legal framework for gender responsive budgeting? What measures were being taken to enact a legal framework for women human rights defenders and ensure accountability for threats made against them? What was the timeline for the Gender Observatory?
Another Expert asked about the status of the parity law? Were there any political officials mandated to address the concept of temporary special measures? Were any studies planned to assess the impact of temporary special measures on social development? Were there any measures to address the gaps within the digital economy? What concrete sanctions had been put in place for political parties to work towards parity?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said parity was progressive in the Congo. It required a change in mentality and encouraging women along that path. Women needed to express their will to participate in politics, and the State was trying to raise awareness to help them not to be afraid that men would cheat and win anyway. Around 3,000 women had been elected through municipal and local elections and in the Senate. A Ministry had been established for the promotion of indigenous peoples, which was a huge step forward. The legal regime which governed the human rights commission had been strengthened. The Government had been developing a national strategy on indigenous peoples, which had led to the adoption of a national action plan to improve their wellbeing.
The Republic of the Congo had made major headway when it came to peacekeeping. As a result of the recent economic crisis, there had been a psychosis creeping in regarding peacekeeping, but women continued to play a full role in peacekeeping for the country. The current economic crisis weighed heavily on the budget of the country. A national strategy had been rolled out on transitioning the informal sector towards a formal sector. A fund was in place which would allow female market vendors to benefit from preferential rates to enable them to have access to financing which would allow them to become empowered.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said the Family Code contained provisions reinforcing women’s subordinate role in the household. The introduction of new laws and policies, particularly the Mouébara Act was commendable. What progress had been made under this law in addressing gender stereotypes? What efforts had the State party made to combat gender stereotypes? While progress had been made in the eradication of female genital mutilation, the practice still existed. What measures had been adopted towards ensuring the absolute prohibition of child marriage? What steps was the State party taking to eliminate harmful practices? Could data be provided on female genital mutilation for the past two years? What support was provided to victims of female genital mutilation and child marriage?
Violence disproportionately affected indigenous women and women with disabilities. How would the State party ensure regular awareness raising campaigns for women, who were the most vulnerable, to protect them against violence? What mechanisms would be put in place to facilitate the reporting of gender-based violence? What progress had been achieved under the Mouébara Act in prosecuting violence against women, particularly for indigenous women and for women with disabilities?
Another Expert said the Committee remained concerned about the lack of information available about trafficking. Information would be welcomed on the number of cases and prosecutions. Were steps being taken to improve coordination between law enforcement professionals working in the sphere of trafficking? What was being done to ensure victims of trafficking were not treated as criminals?
How were victims guaranteed access to services across the entire country? Were the services accessible for rural and indigenous women? Prostitution was not legalised in the Republic of the Congo, however, States were obliged to scrap laws which discriminated against women, including laws against women who were prostitutes. Were women who were prostitutes able to be charged with a crime? What steps was the State taking to decriminalise women working as prostitutes? What programmes were in place for women and girls who wished to leave prostitution?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said under the Mouébara Act, the Ministry of Women drafted an annual report which included statistics on the Act. The Mouébara Act provided for new sets of exacerbating circumstances to ensure perpetrators of violence against women were duly charged. This included law enforcement officials who tried to prevent victims from reporting the crime.
Work was being carried out to change culture and mindsets, including modernising the mindsets of women at the outset, which was no easy task. However, progress was being made, including that the Minister of Indigenous Affairs was now a woman. Significant work was being done with indigenous women to work with them to change minds in communities.
Female genital mutilation was not part of Congo tradition. Foreigners sometimes set up residence in the country and conducted this practice, and this was monitored. There had been cases at the border where young girls who had been brought into the Congo to marry were apprehended. This had occurred within the Malian community who sought young girls and brought them into the Congo for marriage. If there was a child who did not speak French, border control officers would make efforts to check the child was related to the person they were travelling with. Forced marriages were prohibited in the Republic of the Congo; however, this practice was still seen in rural and agricultural areas.
There was no specific law prohibiting or condemning prostitution in the Congo. Prostitution was very far removed from the State’s cultural values. If there were conversations about prostitution in the public space, the State was concerned they would open a pandora’s box and result in an increase in sexually transmitted diseases, which would overwhelm services. The State was aware that there may need to be a change in approach.
In 2019, the Congo had published a law on trafficking, and training was organised with members of the judiciary on this topic. Polygamy was permitted and men could have up to four wives. If couples wanted to be polygamous, this needed to be declared.
The Mouébara Centre provided services for victims, and also acted as a forum for dialogue and an opportunity to follow-up with perpetrators responsible for such acts. The Republic of the Congo had not yet implemented the law on genocide.
Questions by a Committee Expert
A Committee Expert commended the minimum 30 per cent quota for candidate lists set by the State. The number of female members of the national assembly had risen to more than 15 per cent. However, the current bureau established in 2022 included only one woman. What were the recent programmatic measures to promote women’s leadership? What had the State identified as the cause of the noticeable underrepresentation of women in the diplomatic area? What endeavours had been undertaken to increase women’s awareness on the availability of opportunities as well as the importance of women’s representation in international leadership? The State party’s efforts to raise awareness to combat gender stereotypes to overcome women’s low representation in decision-making positions were recognised. What did these campaigns entail? What were the resources allocated? Had their impact been assessed? What were their outcomes? Were the campaigns targeting the younger generation?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said today women were heads of villages and districts. The Consultative Committee on Women was the only body which had the right to make suggestions to the President. Work was being done to ensure that before the next election, the articles related to the percentages of women would be modified. The Consultative Committee had made several suggestions, including on women governors. Thanks to these suggestions, two women had become governors.
The Committee made it possible to promote women in science as there had been few women scientists before that. It also made it possible to prepare programmes on the education of young women and to improve the situation of girls in all schools. Without awareness raising, girls were often mocked during their menstrual cycles, so it was necessary for schools to have social workers to deal specifically with issues for young girls. This would be made mandatory in 2025 as a direct result of the work of the Consultative Committee.
The gender parity observatory had been established to monitor progress. There needed to be female candidates who were capable of representing their constituents. Work was also being carried out with political parties to ensure they were willing to put forward female candidates.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said the Congo had made headway when it came to issues of nationality. However, women of Congolese nationality faced issues when transmitting nationality to their foreign husbands. Would the State modify the laws in this regard? Could women transmit their nationality to their children, like men could? Was there a different level of birth registration between the different sexes? What were the outcomes of any campaigns to boost the levels of birth registration? What measures would be implemented in rural areas to boost levels of registration? Would civil status procedures be digitalised to make them more streamlined?
The State should be commended for ratifying the two conventions on statelessness in 2023, and for establishing a committee to address statelessness. What were the activities of the committee and what had it achieved?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said a reform was currently being debated, which if adopted would result in a new legal framework which would overhaul certain provisions in the Family Code. The Government was pushing to ensure that this reform was regalvanised and enjoyed some fresh momentum.
Failure to uphold the electoral law resulted in sanctions. Alternating lists for male and female candidates had been drawn up to beef up the success of the parity law. If parties failed to uphold the 30 per cent quota on the list, the entire list of candidates would be rejected. This meant that at the most recent elections, parties took this seriously and ensured that more female candidates were put forward, resulting in the training of 3,000 female candidates.
In the Congo, there was a Minister for the Digital Economy. In 2025, the goal had been set to digitalise all services and work was underway to deliver on this.
Questions by a Committee Expert
A Committee Expert said the Committee appreciated the State party’s commitment to advancing equality. Had the national action plan on education and its accompanying strategy been extended? Could the State party clarify why indigenous children and orphans could not be enrolled in regular schools? How was it ensured that all children had access to schooling? What was being done to increase the retention of girls in secondary education, particularly indigenous girls?
The Committee commended the strategy to increase girls’ enrolment in maths and sciences, but was concerned at the low numbers mandated for the quotas. How were girls being encouraged to enrol in maths and science subjects? What initiatives had been implemented to combat gender stereotyping and increase the number of girls enrolled in industrial subjects? Did literacy programmes aim only for the functional literacy of women? Were there remedial programmes for girls who dropped out of school?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said education was equal for boys and girls, and significant steps had been taken to reduce the gaps between the genders in education. There was a plan for early childhood 2022-2030 that focused on ensuring that girls stayed in school, with several initiatives, including free education and textbooks. The State also provided free school meals. To ensure girls did not drop out due to menstruation, all school facilities in the country now had toilets separated by sex. There were also showers built to allow for better menstrual hygiene. Scholarships and fellowship grants were made available to young girls who wished to pursue a career in science. Countries such as Cuba provided girls with the opportunity to pursue medical scholarships. There were vocational colleges set up to help girls who had dropped out of school.
Data indicated that as of 2020, there were more than 14,000 indigenous children, more than 7,500 of whom were girls, who were educated in the Congo. A budget was specifically set aside for the celebration of International Women’s Day. On the day, activities were organised, including for rural women.
The literacy programme covered all women in the Congo. There were four institutions in the country providing specialised education and training for children with disabilities. Students in indigenous communities benefitted from the Aura education programme, which ran until the end of primary school, or early secondary school. Once they had attained that level of education, they could then go to the same schools as other children. Educational awareness programmes were conducted with parents to ensure children were not pulled out of school to participate in the harvest.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said the labour law of the Republic of the Congo guaranteed equal pay for equal work regardless of sex. There were issues with sexual harassment in the workplace; could the delegation clarify the status of sexual harassment laws in the country? What strategies were in place to raise awareness about sexual harassment in the workplace? What measures would be adopted to reduce the pay gap and collect data in this regard?
ESTHER EGHOBAMIEN, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for the Congo, asked if there were any mechanisms which regulated the private sector?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said women and men earnt the same wages when they had the same responsibilities. A national strategy had been crafted to shift the informal economy to a formal economy. The Republic of the Congo wanted to boost its gross domestic product, which could be done by formalising work which previously took place in the informal sector or on the black market. The right to a retirement pension held true to all. The Mouébara Act punished sexual abuse and sexual violence in the workplace as well as public spaces, including religious institutions. Fines and punishment were doubled if this involved a hierarchical responsible official.
A new law made it mandatory for all projects to have a social, economic and environmental impact statement and review.
Questions by a Committee Expert
A Committee Expert said the leading cause of death in the Congo was HIV/AIDS, with the rate of deaths almost 50 per cent higher for women than men. Complications from clandestine abortions were responsible for up to 30 per cent of maternal deaths. Use of contraceptives in the country was very low. What specific measures were being taken to ensure people knew about the risks of early pregnancies? What measures were being taken to ensure that women facing complications relating to insecure abortions received full medical support? How was access to health services without criminalisation ensured, particularly for women involved in clandestine abortion? What measures would be taken to legalise abortion?
What was being done to reduce stigmatisation around HIV/AIDS? What measures were being taken by the State to deal with challenges in terms of infrastructure in rural areas? What was the overall number of persons benefitting from the universal health insurance fund, and how many were women and girls? What measures had been put into place by the State to ensure indigenous women had access to safe drinking water?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there was a programme for sexual and reproductive health which had been reintroduced in schools. The State ensured the promotion of modern contraceptives and ensured they were free of charge in health centres. The Republic of the Congo banned the voluntary interruption of pregnancy due to terrible past situations relating to abusive abortions in inappropriate locations. The State monitored specific cases. There had been a case involving incest where a girl was pregnant with twins and her father was responsible. In this case, to have access to an abortion, she would need to go through the courts and the judge should accept the procedure for termination of pregnancy, taking into consideration the health of the mother. These were exceptional cases, and the State was following this policy to limit any potential health problems.
Questions by Committee Experts
ESTHER EGHOBAMIEN, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for the Congo, said women found it difficult to participate equitably in the socio-economic development of the country. Unfortunately, poverty remained a leading cause of social exclusion for women. Existing and planned support programmes to help women entrepreneurs access finance and microfinance, develop their businesses, and provide services tailored to meet the needs of rural women were commendable.
What measures were being taken to enhance social protection systems for Congolese women, especially those in the informal sector and vulnerable groups? How did the Government plan to address financial and infrastructural challenges which hindered women’s access to social services? Would the State party consider ratifying key International Labour Organization conventions? What programmes existed to support women in core economic sectors such as energy, oil and gas, the extractive industry, and the blue economy in the Congo. What measures were in place to strengthen the private sector’s accountability to the Committee?
Another Expert commended the State party for progress registered in advancing the rights of rural women and women in agriculture. What concrete efforts was the State party taking to mobilise adequate financing to increase equal access to electricity and clean energy and technology for women and girls, especially women and girls in rural areas, women with disabilities, indigenous women, women living in poverty, and refugee, migrant, and asylum-seeking women and girls? What efforts was the State party taking to increase access to inclusive water hygiene and sanitation programmes and activities in all parts of the country? To what extent were women and girls in rural areas; refugee, migrant and asylum-seeking women and girls; those living in poverty; and women and girls with disabilities involved in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of rural and agricultural developmental programmes that were meant to benefit them?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the President of the Republic of the Congo was a champion of environmental causes. Steps had been taken to ensure women were playing their full role in climate action. A fund was in place for the artisanal sector, which was also available to female artisans. The medical insurance fund covered the needs of women in the informal sector. At the rural level, the programme “water for all” encouraged the use of solar resources to achieve water and electricity goals. Women benefited from credits and loans and women entrepreneurs had access to a fund which provided cash transfers.
A project was currently underway which would be launched in specific zones, focusing on environmental protection. It aimed to be a grassroots project with ownership by the local communities, including indigenous communities. There were interschool competitions to encourage all pupils to take an interest in sports. There were also sporting academies for girls, particularly a handball academy, which was popular in the country. There was a project involving 300 women who would undergo a self-defence training course, as a way of tackling violence against women. The gender dimension was included throughout the environmental framework.
Questions by a Committee Expert
A Committee Expert said adultery was illegal for men and women, but sanctions were harsher for women. In the absence of an agreement between the spouses, the husband would choose the place of residence for the family. How did the State ensure that customary marriages were recorded in the civil registry and all married women enjoyed the same rights when it came to civil procedures? What was the status of the current review process and the adoption of the code for the family? What training was provided to those in the administration of justice to intervene in cases of child marriage? The situation surrounding widows were very precarious, and they were not covered by the law. What awareness raising activities were being undertaken to eradicate discriminatory practices against widows? When would the new legal provisions be ready?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there were several provisions within the Mouébara Act which focused on the rights of widows, ensuring they could not be thrown out of the home. Efforts were also being undertaken to make women more aware of their rights, so they could invoke the Act. The State was reviewing legal instruments, including the Family Code, which would take into account the Committee’s concerns. There could be no official marriage which was just a customary marriage; however, steps were taken to ensure customary marriage was protected in law. The Mouébara Act addressed discrimination while the State was waiting for the new codes to be adopted.
A review of several codes was being carried out. Since 2022, the law relating to the Penitentiary Code was published. The Committee’s concerns would be taken into account as this work continued.
Today everyone understood across the country that widows should be left alone, that their succession rights needed to be ensured, and that children should stay with their mothers.
Closing Remarks
NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, said the Committee was impressed by the number of legal initiatives and texts being developed by the State party and the work being undertaken on the ground to translate those texts into something real. The Committee was grateful for the dialogue which had helped the Experts better understand the situation of women and girls in the Republic of the Congo.
INÈS BERTILLE NEFER INGANI VOUMBO YALO, Minister for the Promotion of Women, Integration of Women in Development and Informal Economy of the Congo and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the efforts and the constructive dialogue. The Republic of the Congo had carried out many efforts to protect the rights of women, particularly the Mouébara Act, which was innovative and binding and was a first in Africa. The State was proud of this law, which filled the existing legal gaps relating to specific protection and took into account the definition of all forms of violence. The Republic of the Congo was committed to moving forwards to improve the wellbeing and rights of women.
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