Indigenous women in Congo desesperately searching for empowerement

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In the framework of its activities focused on the recognition and the promotion of the rights of indigenous women, AZUR Development has made a field mission in Sibiti in the department of Lékoumou from May 29 to 04 June 2007. The objectives of the mission were :
- identify the priority needs of indigenous women in the area;
- identify the immediate needs that affect their rights ;
- create awareness on indigenous women’s rights;
- support the organisation of an indigenous women’s group.

During this field mission, lead by Victorine Diabouagana, Executive Secretary and Roméo Mbengou, Legal Assistant, in partnership with Association Congolaise pour l’Intégration des Pygmées, a women’s organization, the following activities have been implemented: meeting and discussions with indigenous women of five camps of Ngongo, Malengué, Moussanda, Pini and Ingambélé ; donation of food to indigeous women and meeting with authorities and other stakeholders.

During the meetings, indigenous women expressed their difficulties they face daily. They talked about lmac of adequate houses.

They are exposed to diseases (HIV/AIDS, malaria and other) and bad weather (cold an drains), ack of access o medical services and prenatal services because they are poor, and also of their hard dependance to the bantous.

The dependance to the bantous is caused by the extreme poverty of indigenous women who don’t ahave their own land and who are often obliged top work for the bantous people in inequal exchange of food.

Indigenous women are economiccay exploited by the bantous, who are the majority population in the country. “We work for a small amount of 1 US dollar per day or in exchange of food », they explained to our colleagues.

Our colleagues asked them why they don’t work for themselvers, they explained that they need tools and seeds to be able to produce for themselves. Because they don’t have money, they couldn’t buy or rent land.


« During the meetings, indigenous women showed openess and expressed their willingness to work on their own land» said Victorine Diaboungana.