Managed by Program Officer, Thierry Nlandu, IHRLG's workshops and coordination meetings are designed to reinforce the impact of Congo's civil society in pressing for a long-delayed transition to democratic rule, without which respect for basic rights of the Congolese population has remained elusive.

As political negotiations develop, including the Inter-Congolese Dialogue, a critical question for Congolese society is what message a future "peace" arrangement for the country sends about accountability and responsibility for using violence and repression as political tools. IHRLG's democratic transition program focuses on strengthening the understanding among local groups of the mechanisms for ensuring accountability for war crimes and massive human rights violations and the capacity of these groups to take action against continuing impunity.

In partnership with the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES), IHRLG promotes consensus around transitional issues among a diverse range of civil society organizations, and builds the expertise of organizations involved in the Inter-Congolese Dialogue to ensure their positive influence on Dialogue processes. We also provide training and technical support to the IFES-led Democracy, Development and Peace Campaign that equips civil society, in particular women's groups, with tools for raising awareness at the grassroots level about the democratic transition process.

With our local partners (the Ligue des Electeurs, the Justice and Peace Commission, the Association des Moralistes Congolais and the Reseau des Droits Humaines de la Province Orientale, IHRLG has co-convened and supported workshops that have produced draft laws and position papers including a constitution, a nationality law, a transition program of action, a proposition for reform of the army and security services, and a transitional justice report on combating impunity in the DRC.