Chouchou Namegabe is a Congolese activist, radio journalist, and social change innovator. She trained rural and urban Congolese female journalists to report about sexual violence and human rights abuses.

Ms. Namegabe has testified at the Hague to urge the International Court of Justice to classify rape as a political weapon in the DRC, and in Washington, before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on violence against women.

She met with former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on several occasions, to press the need for a non-partisan security force to end sexual violence in the conflict-torn region.

She received several awards for her engagement as a leader in impact journalism and women’s empowerment, including the Ana Politkovskaia Prize for Journalism in Conflict in 2013, the DVF Award for Women Leading Change in 2012 and the VitalVoices Fern Holland Award in 2009. Now based in New York, Chouchou continues her engagement as a freelance consultant in gender and media. 

Judicaelle Babika is a non-profit practitioner from Burundi and a former staff of United Nations
Peace Operations.

Her dream is to create successful actions by and for the African women,
where they are empowered, become peace actors and drivers towards a sustainable
development path.

Judicaelle holds a master’s degree in Non-Profit Leadership from Fordham University in New York.

Judicaelle’s origins and roots gives her the strength to carry the fight for her nation and revive the dream of her beloved Africa. A rich and modern Africa built on the foundation of its cultural heritage and the protection of its natural capital. A unique development model that puts women and young girls at the center of a smart growth strategy where protection of the environment and social change will be its sine qua non principal.