Congo: Women's vote tilts balance in Constitutional Referendum

The people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) voted a resounding "yes" at their Constitutional Referendum held in December 2005. The referendum was the first time in decades that Congolese went to the polls to decide on their country's future. 60% of all voters were women, and 72% of the more than 9 million women registered as voters chose to endorse their Constitution. The strength of the female vote, and the increased participation of women during the constitutional process, points to the importance of taking into account the specific needs of women during electoral and constitutional processes.