Elvis Mbembe Binda, IPHR's president and co-founder, has just appeared on the 2013 "99 Under 33" list published this afternoon by the US Magazine Diplomatic Courier as one of the World's Top 99 most Influential Leaders in Foreign Policy Under the age of 33. “99 Under 33” is an international list jointly launched by Diplomatic Courier and Young Professional in Foreign Policy in 2011 to capture the extraordinary impact on international affairs of 99 diverse Millennials under the age of 33. Several hundred people were nominated this year by last year’s 99 Under 33 honorees, ambassadors, business leaders, and scholars. Only 99 were selected after a rigorous three-step process by the Selection Committee. 
The list and individuals profiles of the Top 99 Under 33 offer insight into creativity, determination, and passion of the young people like Elvis Mbembe who are already tackling and solving the world’s critical global challenges. This year only four Africans appeared on the list of which most of the nominees are americans. Other African nominees are from Ghana, Kenya and Liberia. By design, this list is broad and diverse, encompassing entrepreneurs, technologists, journalists, bankers, activists, and scientists—as well as diplomats and other government officials. This reflects the belief that foreign policy in the 21st Century is made by leaders from all sectors. The "99 Under 33" recognizes the distinctive impact each of the honorees has on his or her community today and their promise of potential as leader in the future. 
Everyone on the list is quite different, but every single person was chosen for specific reasons. Each of the honorees has been mapped to one of the seven leadership archetypes that define the "99 Under 33", even though many of them exhibit most of these qualities in some facet of their work:
- A Catalyst is from a field not typically associated with foreign policy who has had an impact on international affairs.
- A Convener brings people together in creative ways to address a pressing international issue or enhance the foreign policy community.
- An Influencer mobilizes people in the foreign policy community with bold new ideas.
- An Innovator designs a new solution to a critical global challenge.
- A Practitioner changes foreign policy from the inside through extraordinary professionalism and skill.
- A Risk-taker takes a chance and sees it pay off.
- A Shaper changes the public discourse on an aspect of foreign policy or raises awareness on a critical issue.

“As a Catalyst, Elvis works tirelessly to uphold respect of human rights, good governance and rule of law in the Great Lakes of Africa. Elvis emphasizes the power of human rights and good governance education for sustainable peace in the region and he shares this approach with university students.” highlights Ana C. Rold, Editor-in-Chief, Diplomatic Courier. 

This nomination is a recognition of modest efforts that IPHR is doing to contribute in peace building in the Great Lakes region. For instance, in May this year IPHR organized a regional moot court competition in partnership with a Switzerland-based NGO (Comite pour le Concours Grands Lacs) on international humanitarian law and human rights that brought to Kigali law students and teachers from fourteen (14) universities of Burundi, DR Congo and Rwanda. Two students (from the University of Kinshasa in DRC) who won the competition were automatically admitted to pursue a Master’s programme (LL.M) in Advanced Studies of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights at the Geneva Academy in Switzerland with full scholarship. 
Like other honorees, Elvis has been invited to the official reception that will be held in Washington, DC at the National Press Club on October 9th, 2013.

The winners of the first francophone regional moot court competition on international humanitarian law and human rights held in Kigali from 28-30 May 2013, miss Thesée-Aurore Mabaka and Mr Jean Jacques Tshiamala from the University of Kinshasa, have obtained an ex-officio admission to the Master’s program of advanced studies in international humanitarian law and Human Rights of the Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights in Geneva (ADH) for the academic year 2014-2015 thanks to a very good collaboration between the Comité pour le Concours Grands Lacs (CCGL) and ADH.

This admission granted by the Director of ADH, Ms. Paola Gaeta, which includes a tuition scholarship of 15,000 Swiss francs (approximately U.S. $ 15,775) and a promise of grant to cover the cost of living in Geneva is not only an award for the outstanding performance of the winners but also a recognition of the quality and seriousness of the competition which wants to become an annual academic event in the African Great Lakes.

Indeed, from 28 to 30 May 2013, twenty-eight (28) students from public and private universities of Burundi, DRC and Rwanda shared their knowledge and arguments around a fictional case incorporating various violations of international humanitarian law and human rights that the Great Lakes region faces since the 90s. The competition was organized by the Committee for the Great Lakes Competition (Swiss-based NGO) in partnership with Initiatives for Peace and Human Rights (NGO based in Rwanda) through financial support of the Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, the City of Geneva and the Paul Reuter Fund and logistical support of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Université Libre de Kigali (ULK).

Preparations for the next edition are already underway.    

On 28-30 May 2013 in Kigali (at ULK Gisozi) was held a moot court competition in international humanitarian law and human rights. Twenty-eight (28) students from University of Burundi, Université Lumière de Bujumbura (Mutanga Burundi), Université Lumière de Bujumbura (Kinindo - Burundi), Université du Lac Tanganyika (Burundi), Université de Kinshasa (DRC), Université de Kisangani (DRC), Université de Goma (DRC), Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs (DRC), Université Officielle de Bukavu (DRC), Université Catholique de Bukavu (DRC), Université Nationale du Rwanda (Rwanda), Université Libre de Kigali (Kigali - Rwanda), Université Libre de Kigali (Gisenyi - Rwanda) and Institut d’Enseignement Supérieur de Ruhengeri (Rwanda) measured their knowledge of national, regional and international instruments on international humanitarian law and human rights in dealing with a fictional case incorporating various violations that the Great Lakes region suffers from since the 90s.
The final opposed the University of Kinshasa to the Official University of Bukavu. The University of Kinshasa won the first prize. The competition was held in French.    

Life these past few weeks looks very different than it did a month ago. Instead of attending human rights trainings and falling asleep under mosquito nets, I am spending my hours in class and, well…sleeping less.

However, fortunately, some things stay the same. I am delighted and honored to be able to continue working with both Initiatives for Peace and Human Rights (IPHR) and LiCoProMa throughout this next year!

Over the past few months, I’ve mentioned a great deal about the organization and work of IPHR, but I have not done this for LiCoProMa.

Below is a brief overview of LiCoProMa, the challenges it faces, and one of the driving members of the organization– Francis Mbembe.

About LiCoProMa

LiCoProMa stands for Ligue Congolaise pour la Promotion des Droits des Personnes Vulnerables et/ou Marginalisées (in English: Congolese League for the Promotion of Rights of Vulnerable and Marginalized Persons) and is a non-profit organization that runs solely on volunteer donations. Founded in 1998, during the Second Congo War, LiCoProMa was originally created to provide relief to the massive human rights violations occurring in Kisangani (northeastern DRC) at that time.

Since 1998, LiCoProMa has moved and evolved. Today, LiCoProMa is based out of Goma, DRC, and works to serve the following communities in the following ways*:

• Albinos - providing education on albinism to primary, secondary, and university students in Kisangani in a manner that fosters greater acceptance and societal inclusion of albinos.

• Pygmies – providing basic education desperately needed by this community.  At present, pygmies in DRC belong to a rural-based community that is often neglected, isolated, and bereft of the social resources offered to the greater society.
• Individuals with HIV/AIDS – providing education on personal care and access to needed medication.
• Young mothers – providing mothers with the career and maternal education they need to help themselves and their children grow into successful citizens.

Despite LiCoProMa’s fervent work and valiant efforts, it faces many challenges when trying to accomplish these goals.

Challenges/Needs

LiCoProMa’s #1 need – money. This is probably no surprise to anyone in the NGO world who knows how valuable and difficult money is to come by. LiCoProMa needs money to supplement the travel costs of health care workers and lawyers, to complete a guarded compound where LGBTI members can safely seek shelter, to supplement the volunteer time of lead staff members, and to pay for the healthcare supplies necessary for offering routine health checks.

However, while acknowledging this  predominant need, LiCoProMa also realizes the importance of self-sufficiency and innovation. Thus, the members of LiCoProMa continue to seek alternative solutions to their financial shortcomings. For example, LiCoProMa has recently collaborated with a lawyer and a doctor in Goma who are willing to offer their services for free on a very restricted schedule. While these services are limited, they are nevertheless a great contribution towards realizing LiCoProMa’s mission: “Pour que cesse la discrimination” (in English: “To end discrimination”).

In addition to financial challenges, LiCoProMa also faces community challenges – most of which stem from the community’s hostility toward LiCoProMa’s work with LGBTI members.

A few months ago, LiCoProMa’s office was burned down because of their association with the LGBTI community. Furthermore, LiCoProMa recently conducted an anonymous, randomized survey on how members of the Goma community respond to LGBTI members. The result: approximately 85% of the 1000 people surveyed expressed hostility towards the LGBTI community.

Clear examples of this hostility include LiCoProMa’s LGBTI members being frequently chased and/or attacked because of their identity.  In fact, sadly, after my visit to Goma in July, Carine (pictured below) was attacked for hosting a discussion with LGBTI members and white people (e.g. – me) in her restaurant.

While LiCoProMa realizes that the long term solution to this discrimination requires internal organization, self-agency, determination, and patience, they also believe an appropriate short term response is to provide a safe, guarded, compound for LGBTI members to retreat to, as needed.

Francis

One of the leading-, and founding-, members of LiCoProMa is Francis Mbembe.***

In addition to being the Principal Coordinator of LiCoProMa, Francis is also one of the most determined, jovial,  humanitarian individuals I have ever met.
In 1998, at the cusp of the Second Congo War and the human tragedy that accompanied it, Francis enrolled in school to study Human Rights. During this time, Francis learned the following:

• Every person has human rights – including the right to have their human rights respected.
• Sometimes, people need information on how to protect their human rights.

Over the past 14 years, Francis has devoted himself tirelessly to the work of LiCoProMa. In addition to managing the responsibilities that come with raising a family and maintaining a job, Francis donates all the time he can to support the marginalized and vulnerable in Goma. It’s his passion — and something one quickly picks up on within minutes of meeting him.

Francis’ consistent concern and care for others are inspiring, as is his proclivity toward action. For example, just a few weeks ago, after visiting an IDP camp in Kanyaruchinya, Francis went back to that camp to pass out as much rice and pens as he was personally able to afford.
Francis believes that a slow, persistent, paced fight leads to eventual success…and Francis is fighting.

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* This is a very brief overview. If you would like more information on any one of these communities and the services LiCoProMa is working to provide, please email me at mminter@advocacynet.org

**At present, many LGBTI members are discriminated against in all life capacities and see prostitution as the only possible career path to putting food on the table. However, prostitution has severe and negative consequences that require many who identify as L,G,B,T, or I to risk their lives daily in order to live one more day.

***LiCoProMa is organized into branches, with one person coordinating any given sector. For example,  LiCoProMa’s Nadia Kanyankore  is the Coordinator for the LGBTI sector, Dr. Matthieu Bokota is the Coordinator for the Albino sector, etc. Francis is the Principal Coordinator that oversees the work of all LiCoProMa sectors.