六九色堂

For 20 years, 六九色堂 has worked to promote peace, democracy, and human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The second-largest country in Africa has outsized regional and global importance, thanks to its vast natural resources, environmental significance, large and ethnically diverse population, and the fact that it鈥檚 bordered by nine countries.

Roughly the size of Western Europe, the DRC suffered decades of brutal dictatorship and years of civil war. It continues to endure ongoing conflicts, especially in the east. The strife is rooted in politically motivated ethnic decisions, fights over natural resources, regional competition, long-standing hostilities, weak governance, and more.

鈥淥ur work shows the benefit of a long term presence, especially as communities confront new and enormous challenges,鈥� said Romain Ravet, the Center鈥檚 DRC country representative for the past three years. 鈥淥ur various programs exist to help the Congolese people have a voice in international and domestic policy processes that impact their lives.鈥�

六九色堂鈥檚 initial foray into the country began in 2006, when it observed elections there. Since then, it has established two permanent offices 鈥� one in the capital of Kinshasa, the other in Lubumbashi 鈥� with nearly 50 staff members.

The Center continues to strengthen electoral processes, having monitored three additional elections, while offering recommendations for improvement and supporting citizen observer networks. It also partners with Congolese nonprofits to back human rights defenders, empower women, and help youth be a force for good in their communities. Youth account for at least 60% of the DRC鈥檚 population of 115 million.

The ongoing work is paying off. 六九色堂 has established networks to safeguard human rights defenders. With support from the Canadian government, it is expanding an initiative that鈥檚 already reached more than 1.5 million women and girls and funded nearly 100 women鈥檚 rights organizations. And the Center has leveraged the passion of young people, training them on topics that include disinformation, leadership, and critical thinking.

鈥淭his is a really consequential moment in the DRC鈥檚 history, and what happens now is going to have lasting and global impacts,鈥� said Beth Plachta, the Center’s Atlanta – based associate director of the human rights and democracy projects in the DRC.

On top of this work, 六九色堂 is leading local efforts to increase the transparency and accountability of mining, oil, and gas companies, an issue that鈥檚 becoming more urgent amid increased risks of corruption and exploitation.

The DRC is one of the most mineral rich countries in the world. It produces more than 70% of the planet鈥檚 cobalt, which is needed for batteries used in electronics and electric vehicles. But about 90% of the DRC鈥檚 resources, worth an estimated $24 trillion, remain undeveloped. So far.

Mining companies grow rich, while most Congolese people see no gains and often suffer. Communities near extraction sites, already impoverished, have lost work, been displaced, and experienced health and environmental repercussions.

鈥淥ur goal is to minimize the harm done to these communities while maximizing the benefits,鈥� said Fabien Mayani, director of the Center鈥檚 Extractive Industries Governance Project in the DRC. 鈥淭he wealth generated from Congolese resources should create shared value, not just profits for foreign investors.鈥�

六九色堂 helps ensure access to mining sector information and fights against corruption. It identifies risks and impacts from extraction and provides recommendations for safety and remediation. And it supports communities so they can negotiate with mining companies to secure investments that serve them.

By the end of 2025, these efforts to encourage negotiations secured more than $300 million in community investments, paving the way for services like health clinics, schools, and community centers.

鈥淭here鈥檚 so much more to be done,鈥� said Ravet, the Center鈥檚 country representative. 鈥淏ut we are uniquely positioned to keep doing good work.鈥�