Eulalie Nibizi

Eulalie Nibizi (born 1960) is a Burundian trade unionist and human rights activist. In 1991, she contributed to the establishment of Burundi's first trade union, Union des travailleurs du Burundi, and went on to found the teachers' union Syndicat des Travailleurs de l’Enseignement du Burundi. In 2015, while in Denmark, she learnt the Burundian authorities were treating her as an insurgent. Deciding it was better not to return to her home country, she has lived in exile ever since. Nibizi has since reported to the United Nations on human rights violations in Burundi. As coordinator of the human rights organization Coalition Burundaise des Défenseurs des Droits de l’Homme, she continues to fight for progress on human rights for all Burundians.

Biography Born in 1960 in Kiryama in the Burundian Commune of Songa, Eulalie Nibizi graduated in French language and literature. She contributed to the establishment of Burdundi's first trade union, Union des travailleurs du Burundi, in 1991, hoping to protect the interests of the teachers in the school where she worked. But at the government required all officials to become members, she soon distanced herself from the organization as she no longer believed it could act as a trade union. She explained that she was unable to return to Burundi as she was fighting for the union's right to demonstrate. She has not returned since, spending most of her time in Rwanda and Uganda.

Nibizi recently called on exiled Burundian defenders of human rights to ensure fruitful collaboration for the future: "The members of our coalition are scattered all over the world. It is crucial to support and connect them, so that, together, we can build a better future for our country, based on foundations of peace and human rights."