Championing women’s rights amid eastern DR Congo’s turmoil

“Human rights activists are constantly exposed to abuse, death threats, and even assassinations,” says Gracias Kibandja. She is the coordinator for Women in Action for Human Dignity, a nonprofit dedicated to women’s dignity, and she serves as a legal defender at the Goma district court in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, a region plagued by armed conflicts.

Kibandja calmly explains her daily reality. At 32, she is well aware of the risks involved in her longstanding commitment to women’s rights in eastern DR Congo, where militias and armed forces clash. « But I persevere because it’s for a good cause and justice always prevails in the end. »

Kibandja’s activism began in her teens. In 2004, she was part of a children’s rights group in Goma. A decade later, she became the coordinator for the Girls’ Club and the gender officer at the North Kivu Provincial Youth Council, advocating for the promotion and protection of young people’s rights, especially young women’s.

“I started girls’ clubs in 12 pilot secondary schools and some universities in Goma as well as for out-of-school girls,” she shares. The aim was to provide young girls a space for dialogue and access to training on their rights, leadership, and entrepreneurship. « The multiple issues women faced during discussions and the lack of freedom of speech inspired me to study law to better defend women, » says Kibandja, now a graduate in public law.

Following this, she decided to establish a foundation. “As the program manager, I wanted to secure funding to promote female entrepreneurship and ensure health care by building a market and a health center,” she says. “It’s also a way to combat youth unemployment and fight poverty.”

Numerous threats

Despite the many threats, in 2016 she managed to gain the trust of the community and partners through her closeness to the victims, but also attracted attention from the perpetrators and politicians exploiting war situations. Yet, she continued her human rights activism. “My passion and determination in promoting human rights did not allow me to back down despite numerous threats.”

For Kibandja, such commitment requires assured security, financial and psychological support. “It’s primarily volunteer work, and the insecurity forces us to move in emergencies to avoid reprisals from warlords, arbitrary arrests, or kidnappings,” she explains. “Unfortunately, we also see cases of rape against male and female activists.” According to the activist, these harsh realities lead many of her peers to withdraw from the struggle, despite the significant needs of this war-torn region.

Through the NGO Women in Action for Human Dignity, which fights against sexual violence, promotes women’s political participation, and advocates for climate justice, Kibandja focuses on sexual violence in schools. “Until early 2022, we made significant progress in several territories’ schools,” she analyzes. “The ongoing war now has us focusing on displaced women and girls, and survivors of wars, who are in Goma.”