Fernandez MURHOLA — Detailed biography
Congolese statesman · Human rights defender

A commitment to human rights
Fernandez MURHOLA is a Congolese statesman and human rights defender whose engagement began in 1990. Originally from South Kivu, his work focuses on human dignity, fundamental freedoms and support for communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His areas of work include human rights, rural development, conflict resolution and regional planning.

From civil society to public service
His engagement developed through local, provincial, national and international organisations. He has held responsibilities within RENADHOC, the national network of human rights NGOs in the DRC, and organisations working with young people, civil society and rural communities. He has also participated in the Coordination Council of the World Civil Society Forum, based in Geneva.

Institutional responsibilities
From 2015 to 2022, he served as a National Human Rights Commissioner at the DRC National Human Rights Commission (CNDH-RDC), coordinating its Permanent Sub-Commission on Civil and Political Rights. The chronology on his official website records his subsequent appointment in 2022 as National Coordinator of the Technical Unit for Human Rights (CTDH-RDC), an interinstitutional mechanism involved in preparing periodic reports and following up human rights recommendations.

Education and expertise
His education includes regional planning at the Higher Institute of Rural Development in Bukavu, project management and administration, and human rights and international humanitarian law at the University of Kinshasa. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Conflict Resolution from Uppsala University in Sweden. On 2 September 2019, he received a diploma from the DRC Higher College of Strategy and Defence (CHESD) at the close of its second special session.

African and international dialogue
His career includes practical engagement with African and United Nations human rights mechanisms, advocacy and documentation. His institutional activities have included oral interventions, written communications and participation in international dialogue. He has also undertaken consultancy roles with organisations working in areas including transitional justice and development.

Publications and recognition
Under his leadership, his organisations have produced more than one hundred reports, memoranda, training materials, statements and other institutional contributions on human rights in the DRC, according to the biography published on his official website. In 2016, he received the Human Rights Prize awarded by the French Embassy in the DRC. His areas of certification include transitional justice, human rights monitoring and international humanitarian law.

Editorial source: the biography and career pages of the official website — fmurhola.org/biographie and fmurhola.org/parcours.
Interviews, biographical enquiries and permissions: fmurhola@fmurhola.org · +243 810 017 400.
Edition of 10 October 2026
