There is no way to peace, peace is the way.” Abraham Muste, Sri Lanka

Anne-Marie Mukwayanzo Mpundu (48) fights destructive values that enslave women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). She chairs the Christian Women Organisation for Democracy and Development (Fcdd). She uses a personal approach, local languages to provide information on human rights and justice protection. She actively participates in preventing violence and discrimination and educates on peace and reconciliation in the community.

Anne-Marie Mukwayanzo Mpundu holds a degree in international relations. She has also attended training on conflict management and human rights, specializing in women’s rights and on gender and sustainable development. Fcdd, formed 14 years ago, fights against destructive values, promoting the economic and political rehabilitation of women in the DRC, and building the capacity for self-sufficiency. Anne-Marie is a mother of six children and an activist who for the better part of 22 years has argued that women, the illiterate majority, live in ignorance of their fundamental rights, withstanding difficult conditions that hamper their ability to be informed and improve their lives. The women lack empowerment and social peace. Her conviction is that improving womens’ status in society is possible, first by women themselves and then through the judicial system. As part of an extended network, she campaigns for WomenAction and works against violence against women and educates on peace culture. She coordinates Recic, a civic education organisation. Her energy comes from her faith in God whom, she believes, created men and women, all equal in rights and dignity. It also comes from other women, adhering to the fight and showing that unity is power; and it comes from women who have benefited from her struggle to awaken their conscience, now independently managing their own association.

Fondation des femmes chrétiennes et démocrates pour le développement (Fcdd)