In Kinshasa, human rights defenders and civil society actors validated on February 20, 2026, the citizen’s draft revision of Law No. 23/027, following a national workshop organized by ACEDH. This step aims to amend provisions deemed risky and to strengthen the legal protection of defenders ahead of advocacy efforts with the authorities.
In the MAIKO hall, gradually filled with focused attention, open dossiers, and pens in hand, participants reached a major milestone: the collective validation of the citizen draft for the revision of Law No. 23/027 on the protection and accountability of human rights defenders. From the early hours of a rainy morning, the atmosphere was studious. Participants divided into working groups. Three circles formed, each scrutinizing the content of the draft proposal for the law’s revision. Discussions were technical and sometimes animated. Some leafed through annotated versions of the law, while others quietly reread articles considered sensitive. Here, a provision was labeled “vague,” there, a paragraph was flagged as a potential threat to the activities of defenders. The exchanges reflected a common concern: to transform a contested law into a genuine legal shield.
By late morning, the groups reconvened in plenary. Presentations followed one another, marked by observations, last-minute adjustments, and proposals for rewording. Every word mattered. The debates did not seek superficial unanimity, but legal coherence capable of withstanding practical challenges. Gradually, a consolidated version of the text took shape. During the joint review session, the document was projected, reread, corrected, and finally validated. The consensus was tangible, almost solemn.
This dynamic, led by ACEDH, reflects an objective clearly assumed by the organizers: to contribute to influencing public policy by engaging stakeholders around a text derived from grassroots consultations. The process aims not only to collect and integrate the latest legal observations and critiques but also to ensure the real commitment of participants through collective validation—an essential condition for subsequent advocacy.
At the heart of the discussions, one conviction repeatedly emerged. For Maître Eric Kambale, one of the organizers, the current law must not become a source of fear for those it is meant to protect. “A law of protection cannot be a law of threat,” he reminded the assembly, emphasizing that certain provisions, as currently formulated, expose human rights defenders to real risks. The work undertaken does not seek to reject the entire text but to identify, explain, and amend the dangerous clauses—those that compromise the legitimacy and safety of defenders in the field.
The afternoon was dedicated to forward-looking planning. After the break, the atmosphere shifted slightly: fewer legal debates, more strategic reflection. Participants were invited to propose the next steps following the text’s validation. Ideas flowed: establishing an advocacy core team, mobilizing political allies, and producing strong legal arguments for Parliament. One certainty emerged: the work was only beginning.
Maître Eric Kambale then emphasized a key aspect of the process. Actors involved in the initial adoption of the law and those now leading its revision form a united force. According to him, this convergence significantly increases the chances of success. “There are already many defenders involved. As you know, some groups of defenders were instrumental in the law’s adoption. They worked hard to see it enacted. Today, those same defenders express surprise at how the law was promulgated and applied. We thus constitute, I can say, a synergistic force. Those who participated in adopting the law and those leading its revision now form a single bloc. This is because we have been working together on this issue for some time.
This gives us a real chance to achieve results. Challenges faced during the law’s adoption can be more easily overcome if these actors advance with us in this process. Our advantage is that they have agreed to accompany us precisely because of the various risks inherent in the current law. We are already a bloc,” he asserted, confident that this synergy will facilitate dialogue with deputies and senators, especially since many of them are already aware of the risks posed by certain provisions of the law.
The session concluded in an atmosphere both serious and determined. Administrative formalities, final informal exchanges, firm handshakes: each participant left with the sense of having contributed to a pivotal moment. Through this national meeting, ACEDH consolidates its role as a catalyst for human rights advocacy in the DRC, laying the groundwork for a more comprehensive, secure legislative reform aligned with international standards.
By Thérèse Mputu