M.Nadine SAYIBA Mbila | From Survival To Governance

Nadine Sayiba Mbila, lawyer at the North Kivu Bar, gender expert, and founder of law firm CNSA, is photographed in Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, on February 25, 2026.

One of the most prominent women in law in eastern DRC, Sayiba Mbila has built her career at the intersection of justice, gender, and humanitarian advocacy defending victims of sexual and gender-based violence, advising institutions on transitional justice, and coordinating women lawyers across North Kivu at a time when the ongoing armed conflict continues to expose civilians, and women in particular, to systematic rights violations.

The United Nations has repeatedly identified eastern DRC as one of the most dangerous places in the world for women, making the work of legal defenders like Sayiba Mbila both urgent and indispensable.

©Isaac Bujirwa | Sote Pamoja DRC & FCRJ London