missions by the Special Mechanisms 78. Concerning the recommendations made during the promotion missions undertaken by the Special Mechanisms, the DR Congo, which has taken note of those recommendations, started to take appropriate measures to promote rights protected by the African Charter. Part B: Implementation of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa I. Preparation Process 79. In accordance with the guidelines laid down by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights on State reporting regarding the implementation of the Protocol to the Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa, the preparation of part B of this report by the Democratic Republic of Congo was an inclusive and participatory national process. Indeed, this process brought together multi-sectoral experts from political institutions of the country (Presidency of the Republic, the Senate, the National Assembly), democracy-oriented support institutions (the National Independent Electoral Commission, National Human Rights Commission, Higher Audiovisual and Communication Council, Economic and Social Council), civil society organizations including women’s and human rights associations and technical and financial partners, among which are the UN Women, the UNFPA and UNDP. 80. The process of drafting this report consisted of several stages, namely: the launch of the process by Her Excellency the Minister of Women, Family and Children’s Affairs, the training under the high patronage of His Excellency, the Prime Minister and Head of Government, experts engaged to collect data on the implementation of the MAPUTO Protocol, the collection of data at the national level and in the provinces of the country by trained experts, data consolidation and the preparation of preliminary State report by a limited team of experts, the validation of the preliminary document at a workshop that brought together all stakeholders on women’s issues in the country, and ultimately, the definitive drafting of the final document by a team of experts and its endorsement by the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 81. This process received the financial support of the Congolese government and the technical support of UN Women. For the government, this support is a clear demonstration of its commitment to promote women’s rights in the country. Indeed, the drafting of the DRC’s State report on the implementation of the Maputo Protocol offers the country the opportunity to highlight the progress achieved in promoting women’s rights for several years, even before the entry into force of the Protocol and its ratification by the Congolese State. 82. With regard to the data collection on the implementation by the DRC of the provisions on the rights protected by the Maputo Protocol, it must be pointed out that the information provided in Part B of this report originates from different documents, particularly the DSCRP I and II, the combined CEDAW reports, the report on the review and assessment of the Beijing +20 Plan of Action, the 2011 UN Gender Report, the IDISA/DRC 2012 Report, the different national surveys (MICS, DHS-DRC-2007,2013-2014), a Review Report on the achievements of the MDGs 2000-2015 and many other sources of public and private information collected all over the country within the framework of drafting this report. 83. Regarding this process, it is important to underscore the fact that Madam Reine ALAPINI GANSOU, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa, was in Kinshasa at the invitation of the Congolese Government to support the training of multi-sectoral experts engaged with the task of data collection and drafting of the State Report. On behalf of the government, the Ministry of Women, Family and Children’s Affairs, which was tasked with steering the drafting process of this part of the report, seizes the opportunity to express its profound gratitude to her. II. Background Information 25