Voix du Paysan to train and inform citizens: a commitment to social and climate justice
In an African context marked by armed conflict and instability, the issue of energy transition is often relegated to the background. Yet women, as primary managers of domestic energy resources — whether fossil or renewable — must be at the heart of climate policies. With this in mind, a webinar brought together various actors to reflect on how to integrate women into the fight against fossil fuels, taking into account the context of war and chronic insecurity, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Madame Jeanne Kametiangwe Abutoge, Coordinator of the Union of Oppressed Women and an active member of AJTN, reminded participants that the fight for climate justice cannot be separated from the fight for peace and the safety of women activists. In her remarks, she consistently emphasized the need for a multidimensional approach: including peace, protection for activists, and women’s empowerment in all energy transition strategies.
Through her powerful speech during the webinar, she encouraged a rethinking of mobilization dynamics in conflict zones. Jeanne Kametiangwe Abutoge thus paved the way for a deeper reflection on how to link climate justice, gender equity, and peacebuilding, insisting that without safety for women and environmental defenders, a just transition is simply not possible.
The Editorial Team
Jeanne Kametiangwe: For a Feminist and Peaceful Energy Transition in Times of War
