Nothing Without Women

Nothing Without Women, also known by its French name Rien sans les Femmes, is a feminist organization and coalition established in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in March 2015. It emerged in eastern Congo through cooperation between international nongovernmental organizations and local women's rights groups. Its early work focused on two linked political objectives: securing the adoption of legislation establishing gender parity and changing electoral rules so that women would be represented on electoral lists. The coalition used public mobilization, signature collection, advocacy, and demonstrations to make women's political inclusion a national issue. It reportedly gathered more than 200,000 signatures and organized marches in Bukavu and Uvira in South Kivu and Goma in North Kivu. The largest reported demonstration took place in Bukavu, where more than 6,000 people participated. These efforts contributed to the adoption of the Parity Act in August 2015, a major legislative milestone for gender equality in the country. By 2017, Nothing Without Women had expanded beyond its original eastern-Congo base and incorporated more than 160 women's rights organizations from across the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The coalition's public identity was reinforced by the use of brightly patterned, vividly colored fabric worn by participants as headscarves, dresses, skirts, or bags. This visual practice helped distinguish its marches and advocacy activities while expressing collective identity and solidarity. The organization continued to scrutinize the implementation of political-equality commitments. During preparations for the 2018 general election, its spokesperson Solange Lwashiga Furaha criticized the low proportion of women among candidates, reporting that women represented only about 12 percent of candidates. The organization linked this imbalance to social resistance to women in political roles, inadequate campaign resources, weak voter-mobilization support for female candidates, and difficulties associated with voting technology. Nothing Without Women is best understood as a civil-society advocacy network rather than a conventional commercial brand. Its work combines legal reform, electoral advocacy, coalition building, public demonstrations, and symbolic campaigning. Publicly documented information establishes its origins, major early campaign, organizational expansion, and electoral concerns, but does not provide sufficient detail about its current leadership, formal legal structure, headquarters, financing, or present-day program portfolio.

Nothing Without Women, or Rien sans les Femmes, was formed in March 2015 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It began as a coalition bringing together international nongovernmental organizations and local women's groups, particularly in the country's eastern provinces. Its initial agenda centered on institutional reform: the coalition sought passage of a Parity Act and changes to electoral law that would require women candidates to be included on electoral lists. The organization pursued these goals through coordinated advocacy and mass participation. It collected more than 200,000 signatures and held marches in Bukavu and Uvira in South Kivu and in Goma in North Kivu. More than 6,000 people reportedly joined the Bukavu march. The campaign achieved an important legislative result when the Parity Act was passed in August 2015. The coalition subsequently broadened its membership. By 2017, it included more than 160 women's rights organizations from across the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its campaigns were visually associated with vivid patterned textiles worn by participants as head coverings, clothing, and accessories. This shared use of fabric functioned as a recognizable expression of unity in public demonstrations. In the period leading to the 2018 general election, Nothing Without Women continued to advocate for women's political participation and to assess the gap between formal equality commitments and electoral reality. In August 2018, spokesperson Solange Lwashiga Furaha expressed concern that women represented only 12 percent of candidates. She attributed the continuing disparity to social reluctance to accept women as political actors, limited campaign resources, insufficient resources for encouraging voters to support women, and problems connected with voting machines. The available reference material documents the coalition's founding, 2015 legislative campaign, organizational growth, public symbolism, and 2018 electoral concerns. It does not establish a complete account of its current structure, funding, headquarters, leadership succession, or activities after the 2018 election.

• 2018

  Electoral representation campaign

  [1]Nothing Without Womenen.wikipedia.org

  The coalition publicly highlighted the low share of women candidates in the general election and the barriers limiting women's political participation.

• 2017

  National network expansion

  [1]Nothing Without Womenen.wikipedia.org

  The organization had grown to include more than 160 women's rights organizations from across the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

• 2015

  Coalition established

  [1]Nothing Without Womenen.wikipedia.org

  Nothing Without Women was formed in March as a coalition of international NGOs and Congolese women's groups.

• 2015

  Parity Act adopted

  [1]Nothing Without Womenen.wikipedia.org

  After a signature drive and public marches, the coalition's principal legislative objective was achieved when the Parity Act passed in August.

A national feminist civil-society coalition focused on legal equality, women's representation, and political participation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

• 2015Parity Act and electoral-list campaign

  Democratic Republic of the Congo

  Nothing Without Women gathered more than 200,000 signatures and organized marches in Bukavu, Uvira, and Goma to demand passage of parity legislation and electoral rules requiring women candidates to appear on electoral lists.

  Outcome. The Parity Act was passed in August 2015. The available source does not establish whether the requested electoral-law changes were fully enacted.

  Source

• 2017

  Expansion into a nationwide coalitionStrategy

  Background

  The organization moved beyond its initial eastern-Congo coalition model and broadened its participation base.

  Action taken

  It incorporated more than 160 women's rights organizations from across the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

  Aftermath

  The network had a substantially broader national reach by 2017.

  Source

• 2015

  Adoption of mass-mobilization advocacyStrategy

  Background

  The newly formed coalition sought legal recognition of gender parity and stronger requirements for women's inclusion on electoral lists.

  Action taken

  It combined signature collection with marches and coalition-based public advocacy in several cities in eastern Congo.

  Aftermath

  The campaign was followed by passage of the Parity Act in August 2015.

  Source

1. 1Nothing Without Womenen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Hybrid Clubs: A Feminist Approach to Peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congodoi.org