WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) is honored to announce Pétronille Vaweka of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as the recipient of the 2023 Women Building Peace Award.
This prestigious international award, which is given annually, honors women of extraordinary commitment, leadership and impact who are working to build peace and resolve violent conflict in their communities.
“Pétronille is a woman of courage and determination,” said Lise Grande, USIP’s president and CEO. “Pétronille negotiates, persuades, influences, and inspires people to lay down their weapons, end fighting, and work together to resolve their grievances. This is some of the hardest, most dangerous work done by anybody anywhere.”
USIP’s Women Building Peace Council, comprised of distinguished experts and advisers, selected three finalists, and the winner, from over 150 nominations received from 42 countries.
“Eastern Congo is rife with death and destruction,” said Council Chairs Marcia Carlucci and Megan Beyer. “Pétronille is an extraordinarily brave woman working tenaciously over three decades for change in a male dominated culture of violence.”
Pétronille is the senior mediator for Engaged Women for Peace in Africa (FEPA), a network of women working in conflict-affected areas of eastern DRC. As National Deputy of the Transition from 2004 until 2008, Pétronille was a lead negotiator with armed groups and has been a trainer and manager in the country’s National Stabilization and Reconstruction Program for more than a decade.
Pétronille’s award was announced at a ceremony today at the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa.
For information on the award, visit www.usip.org/womenbuildingpeace
For information on USIP, visit: https://www.usip.org/about
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