Reading political tensions before they escalateNeema Atosha grew up in South Kivu, eastern DRC, a region marked by armed conflict and displacement. She says what she saw early on shaped her journey ahead. In 2022, she joined MONUSCO’s Political Affairs Division, where she is a Political Affairs Assistant. At first, she was based in Bukavu during the lead-up to the 2023 general elections.

Across the Central African Republic, 34 UN Volunteers worked side by side with national counterparts to support elections in all 20 prefectures, including remote areas facing significant logistical challenges. The volunteers supported logistics, ran civic education efforts, and supported electoral operations, making sure ballots arrived, voters were informed, and polling could take place on time.