Marie-Claire Faray is Mother and Grandmother.
Research Scientist in Biomedical and Molecular Microbiology of Infectious Diseases, Medical Information and Pharmacovigilance.
Defender of Human Rights, particularly of African women and girls, with a particular interest in reproductive health, empowerment and human development, peace, justice and security.

Entrepreneur / Independent Consultant – Trainer
Author of several articles and publications on women’s rights and participation.
Promoter of the Centre for Women Peace and Security (Limete / DRC) and legal instruments #CEDAW, #Protocol Maputo, #UNSCR1325, #DSEGA #17SDG

Feminist – Activist for the rights of women and young girls, she campaigns for women, peace and human security, gender equality and development as well as the intellectual and economic empowerment of women in Africa.
Pan-African, She promotes the history and ancestral heritage of Africa, its independence, self-determination, empowerment and sovereignty.

Since 2001, she has been actively involved in women’s and peace/disarmament movements in Europe, the Americas and Africa. In cohesion, they have raised the voice of Congolese women at the international level on peace and disarmament, as well as demonstrated the correlation that exists between sexual violence and weapons of war and the exploitation of natural resources, particularly in the DRCongo. She has undertaken research and written reports on the status and participation of women in the DRC since 2001.

Marie-Claire Faray is a member of Common Cause UK / RDCongo, a socio-economic platform for Congolese and African women. Member of the Million Women Rise Coalition / Bradford Rape Crise as well as the Acronym Institute for Disarmament and Diplomacy. Member of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). Member and collaborator at the ElShaddai foundation.

Member and ACCES trainer at the National Women’s Commission of the FEC in the DRC.

Marie-Claire Faray initiated the WILPF section in the DRC, since 2007

She was part of a delegation of at least 500 women from around the world who made an active solidarity trip to Goma and Bukavu in 2010 to denounce war and rape in the DRC. She is part of the African Diaspora in Europe which launched the African Women’s Decade in 2010, promoting the Maputo Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa. They developed the Voices of African Women campaign in the UK with UKWILPF, raising the voice of the grassroots internationally, lobbying/campaigning, undertaking research, publishing reports/articles, providing information, facilitation, support/accompaniment/training (capacity building) for women of the African diaspora in the world and those in Africa.

Since 2016, she has been collaborating in the establishment of the Women’s Peace and Security Center in Kinshasa.

Based on UN Resolution 1325, the Center for Women, Peace and Security was established to build the intellectual and socio-economic capacities of women and girls, undertake research and provide consultancy services. The Center also serves as a Crisis Cell for survivors of the violence. We will refer women or girls affected by violence to the competent services such as the Sexual Violence Management Unit of the National Police.

Mwalimu Ndaliko Katondolo (Petna), was born in Goma, DR Congo, is a filmmaker, educator, and an ancestral ecologist. His multi-genre artistic works are acclaimed for their decolonial Africanfuturistic style, which engages historical content to address contemporary sociopolitical and cultural issues. In 2000 he co-founded Yole!Africa and in 2005 he founded the Ishango Encounter (formerly known as Salaam Kivu International Film Festival). Ndaliko Katondolo teaches and consults regularly for international organizations, addressing social, ecological and political inequity among marginalized groups through culture and Art.

Samuel Yagase is a grassroots leader mobilizing rural communities for justice and dignity in the rainforest of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 1992, he co-founded GOVA – Group of Village Organizations for Autonomous Development. In 2022, Samuel and GOVA became co-founding members of the Basandja Congo Basin Coalition for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.
GOVA formed as a collective initiative between the community, intellectuals, and traditional leaders for autonomy and self-determination after experiencing pain, disrespect, and broken promises with international aid organizations. Samuel works to promote dialogue and collaboration between the two medicines (Traditional and Modern) which strengthen the communities’ fight against many injustices (including traditional customs that discriminate against women) in a region where extractive industries continue to oppress and harm the local communities.
Samuel’s life has been dedicated to improving matters related to environmental racism, health, education, and local governance. He serves on the board of the Climate Justice Resilience Fund and is featured in the short film called ‘Mabele Na Biso’ (Our Land). Since the film was made in 2012, his region has been experiencing a dramatic increase in flooding due to the climate crisis, destroying health centers, schools and agriculture. Samuel is part of a collective call for governments, large NGOs, and multinational corporations to prioritize the wisdom of those on the frontlines. With the reality of the climate emergency and new global focus on the Congo’s ‘carbon bomb’ in the peatlands, Samuel hopes there will be a fast shifting of power so there can be true collaboration for climate solutions and resilience.