Claudine Bela Badeaza is a human rights activist based in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo. With a degree in political and administrative sciences from the University of Kisangani, she specializes in women's and children's rights, the fight against gender-based violence, mediation and peaceful conflict resolution, and women's participation in public affairs. Claudine is also the provincial coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission. Her expertise in the field of human rights has made her a resource for many public and private partners in her field. She is also responsible for the Mouvement Rien Sans Les Femmes (RSLF) in Kisangani.

IVLP Impact Award Project: Contribution to the Fight Against Child Kidnapping in the City of Kisangani

Claudine's project fought against the resurgence of child abduction in Kisangani by helping authorities enforce public penalties and create a warning system to prevent and eradicate child abduction. Her project worked with different government officials, school authorities, and religious leaders by hosting 4 forums for community members to raise awareness on the importance of protecting children from abduction. The forums were successful with each forum attended by at least 180 state and community representatives. The project also involved the creation of three radio programs on the topics of: the role of the state in protecting children's rights, the rights and duties of parents towards their children, and on the role of educational establishments in promoting social and community values. The radio broadcasts had an estimated audience of over 20,000, based on the coverage of the selected media outlets.

“Our sincere thanks go to those who supported the implementation of this project in the city of Kisangani, which has just brought back to the table the thorny issue of effective child protection.” - Project Participant

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Claudine was a participant in the IVLP Project Combating Trafficking in Persons organized by the U.S. Department of State and World Learning.

Claudine's exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award Project: "Our time at 'One Place Metro Family Justice Center' in Birmingham was marked by the quality of the work carried out on behalf of victims of human trafficking, and the synergy between all those involved in the fight against this scourge."

U.S. Communities Visited

Birmingham, AL; Washington, DC; Miami, FL; Minneapolis, MN

Country: Democratic Republic of Congo

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