En République démocratique du Congo (RDC), les femmes et les jeunes sont les plus touchés par les conflits. Pourtant, ils sont sous-représentés dans les efforts de consolidation de la paix et de cohésion sociale. Dans cette optique, ils devraient être ciblés parmi les acteurs de la paix dans le processus de médiation actuel. C'est pourquoi un Groupe consultatif pour la médiation en Ituri a été établi, avec comme objectif d’être inclusif et de garantir une bonne représentation des femmes et des jeunes. Il s'inscrit dans une vision d'appropriation et de durabilité des efforts de paix par les communautés locales et de renforcement de leurs capacités de résolution des conflits. Dans le cadre de ce processus, des parties prenantes ont été consultées et les résultats de cette approche ont été validés par les acteurs provinciaux venant des institutions publiques et de la société civile, dont des associations de femmes et de jeunes.

Formation of an advisory group is part of a vision of ownership and sustainability of peace efforts by local communities and of strengthening their capacity for conflict resolution. As part of this process, stakeholders were consulted and the results of this approach were validated by provincial actors from public institutions and civil society, including women and youth associations.

Among its recent activities, the group organised a workshop on 29 September, a few days after the International Day of Peace, to relay mediation and negotiation skills to women and youth. Participants were asked "What can be done for the return of peace in Ituri?” In collaboration with the Ituri provincial government, and with the support of the European Union, this meeting took place in Bunia and was facilitated by the mediation consortium composed of Interpeace and its Action for Peace and Concord (APC) partners, and the Congo Research Group (CRG) of New York University (NYU).

According to most of the participants, the workshop was beneficial in contributing to strengthening the involvement of youth and women in the existing peace mechanisms in their province. "Ever since the word 'communitarianism' was first used in Ituri, each community has used this word to arm itself to face the opposing community. But this word has already destroyed Ituri. The community should therefore not be a place of identity withdrawal against others but a space for dialogue to live together," expressed a member of the Ituri Women's Collective.

This opinion was also shared by the representatives of the public authorities. "This kind of meeting is a good opportunity to raise awareness of the culture of living together," says Esther Maturu, Deputy Coordinator in Ituri of the Disarmament, Demobilisation, Community Rehabilitation and Stabilisation Programme (P-DDRCS/Ituri).

The advisor to the provincial military governor in charge of youth, Irène Vaweka, reminded the assembly that "for some time now, young people have increasingly become executioners and that women are the main victims. By bringing all these people together around the issue of peace, this workshop presents a golden opportunity for the young people present to show the world that they too can commit themselves to peace.”

Cette réunion a constitué une étape importante dans les chantiers du Groupe consultatif pour la médiation en Ituri. Celui-ci va poursuivre ses efforts pour que les femmes et les jeunes aient une opportunité de construire leurs compétences de transformation des conflits dans leurs communautés.