On December 10, 2024, a significant event took place in Goma, marking the celebration of Human Rights Day. Lawyer Olivier Ndoole, a passionate and tireless advocate for environmental and land rights, was awarded the prestigious 2024 Tulip Prize by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This recognition acknowledges his unwavering commitment to climate justice and the defense of vulnerable communities facing environmental challenges in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ndoole, who is also the Executive Secretary of the Congolese Alert for Environment and Human Rights (ACEDH), expressed his gratitude in an emotional speech, emphasizing that this award is not only a personal victory but the result of a collective struggle. “It is thanks to your efforts, thanks to the battle you are fighting for justice, for the climate issue, for climate litigation, for the rights of local communities advocating for a just energy transition in the DRC, that today the Netherlands and other partners are recognizing the struggles of environmental and land rights defenders,” he said, paying tribute to all those working for a more equitable future.
This award comes at a particularly sensitive time, as environmental defenders like Ndoole face major challenges, often at great personal risk. The laureate did not forget to honor those who have paid the ultimate price in this fight: “I especially think of Obedi Karafuli, who was killed for defending the rights of communities, and the 15 farmers massacred in Jomba,” he recalled, before stressing the importance of supporting those who, even today, continue to fight from their cells for the protection of ecosystems and the rights of local populations.
While this recognition is significant, it remains a call to action for both the Congolese government and the international community. In his speech, Ndoole advocated for the urgent revision of the June 15, 2023 law regarding the protection of human rights defenders. According to him, deep legal and institutional reforms are needed to ensure equitable environmental justice and effective protection of the land rights of the most vulnerable communities, who are often caught between industrial exploitation and the preservation of their ancestral lands.
The continued support of the Dutch government for human rights and environmental defenders was also praised by the laureate. This award is, above all, a testament to a strong international partnership that places climate justice and human rights at the heart of global priorities. The ceremony was held alongside the conclusion of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), a theme that resonates strongly in the context of the DRC, where the environmental crisis and violence against women often intersect. The Senior Advisor on Human Rights at the provincial authority, Ms. Prisca Luada, expressed her pride in seeing a human rights and environmental defender from North Kivu receive such recognition. She reaffirmed her support for ACEDH’s efforts to protect the environment and land rights of local communities.
It is worth noting that the 2024 Tulip Prize is not the only honor Ndoole has received this year. In May 2024, he was also awarded the 2024 Global Citizen Prize in New York in the category of “Climate, Reforestation, and Nature.” This double recognition highlights the breadth and depth of his fight for a fairer and more sustainable future for future generations. The awarding of this prize underscores an undeniable truth: actions to protect the environment and the fundamental rights of local populations, even if often ignored or repressed, eventually bear fruit. Thanks to voices like that of Olivier Ndoole, the DRC is increasingly positioning itself on the international stage as a key player in climate and social justice.
On this Human Rights Day, the message is clear: the commitment to climate justice is inseparable from the defense of human rights. And the recognition of Olivier Ndoole’s work is a valuable testament to the essential role played by environmental defenders in building a more equitable world.
By Franck Zongwe Lukama
