Céline Narmadji
Céline Narmadji, born on October 29, 1964, in N'Djamena, Chad, is a prominent human rights activist recognized for her efforts to combat abuses and advocate for the rights of marginalized groups, particularly women and children. Growing up in a middle-class family, Narmadji was profoundly affected by the death of her brother during the Chadian Civil War, which inspired her commitment to social justice and reform. She became involved with the Chadian League for Human Rights in the early 1990s, motivated by the assassination of a colleague, and has since held various leadership positions, including heading the Association of Women for Development and the Culture of Peace in Chad.
Narmadji has effectively combined grassroots activism with broader organizational efforts, participating in initiatives like "Enough is Enough!" to address human rights violations in Chad. Despite facing imprisonment and intimidation from authorities, she has organized significant protests against government actions, including opposition to the presidential campaign of Idriss Déby. Her work encompasses not only direct activism but also educational programs that empower citizens about their rights. Narmadji continues to inspire future generations of activists with her unwavering commitment to creating a more just and equitable society in Chad and beyond.
Céline Narmadji
Human rights advocate
- Born: October 29, 1964
- Birthplace: Fort Lamy (now N’Djamena), Chad
Significance: Céline Narmadji is one of the leading human rights advocates in the north-central African country of Chad. She has led organizations and protests against government corruption and the exploitation of women and children in Chad and beyond. Her ability to inspire others, even at personal risk, to peaceful resistance has led to her being called the Chadian version of Rosa Parks.
Background
Céline Narmadji was born on October 29, 1964, in N’Djamena, Chad (which was, at that time, known as Fort Lamy). Her family was part of the African country’s middle class. Narmadji’s father worked at the Chadian Ministry of Agriculture, where he dealt with farming and technical issues. Narmadji’s mother was a housekeeper.
Few details are publicly available about Narmadji’s youth and early life. However, during her youth, she became convinced that her country did not respect the rights of individuals. A critical episode in her early life was the death of her brother during the lengthy Chadian Civil War (1965–1979), which was fought over national and religious divisions. His death deeply troubled Narmadji and she later explained that it took her a long time and considerable bravery to overcome her sorrow and turn it into positive and hopeful action.
Work in Human Rights Advocacy
By the time she was in her twenties, Narmadji had begun to advocate for changes in Chad’s human rights policies. In 1992, she joined the Chadian League for Human Rights. One of the important events that led her to joining that group was the assassination of the group’s vice president, Maître Joseph Béhidi, an act that convinced her that authorities would go to great lengths, including murder, to silence dissidents.
In many cases, women and children took the brunt of the mistreatment in Chad and other parts of Africa. Narmadji felt that these groups should be the focus of more social protections. In 2004, Narmadji became the head of the Association of Women for Development and the Culture of Peace in Chad, known as ADFCPT. This group worked in many regions of Chad, including Mayo Kebbi Est, Moyen Chari, Hadjer Lamis, and Chari Baguirmi. It offered training programs which helped local people, particularly women and children, learn about and better avoid threats they may encounter including rape, sexual violence, and human trafficking which occurred in many parts of the countryside.
In 2008 and 2009, she was a leader of the Follow-Up Committee for the Call for Peace and National Reconciliation (CSAPR). Upon leaving that post, she became leader of the Committee for Strategic Orientation and Political Analysis of the CSAPR. She also spoke out in favor of protests against the Chadian government’s attempts to ban the production and use of charcoal, which she felt would doom poor villagers who relied on that fuel.
Although much of her work took place in Chad, Narmadji knew that problems and potential solutions must also be sought on a broader level, so she became increasingly involved in larger organizations that focused on multiple parts of Africa and beyond. Some of the multinational organizations she joined and helped to lead in the 2010s included the Network of Human Rights Defenders in Central Africa and the African Platform for Action against Violence against Women.
In 2014, Narmadji took her highest-profile position to that time, as spokesperson for a human-rights group called “Enough is Enough!” This group coordinates efforts, activities, and resources among more than fifteen human rights and youth organizations. It mainly focuses its efforts on Chad, where its members monitor the social and economic struggles in the country as well as its many instances of human rights violations.
Members of the group may engage in a wide variety of activities, mainly meant to show their disapproval of and opposition to various aspects of Chadian life. For example, Narmadji has helped to organize events such as mass banging on pots and pans to make noise and get attention. She has also orchestrated what have been called “ghost town days,” in which protestors refuse to visit or shop in a particular city for a day, thus hurting its economic prosperity.
Narmadji was reelected head of “Enough is Enough!” in 2016. That same year, she helped organize protests against the presidential campaign of Idriss Déby, who was widely seen as a corrupt authoritarian. These protests involved large marches and other demonstrations. Law enforcement officials swept into the protesters during their organizational meeting and arrested Narmadji and three fellow protestors.
On April 14, a judge gave Narmadji a suspended sentence of four months in prison. During the ordeal, Narmadji was held in prison for three weeks. This and other setbacks did not take away her drive to bring reforms in Chad and beyond. She continued organizing protests into the 2020s. She also promoted educational programs that sought to teach Chadian people about human rights laws and protections against exploitation and violence.
Impact
Narmadji has spent much of her life monitoring human rights abuses in Chad and beyond. She has promoted both active protests and educational programs to help people defend themselves and others from mistreatment. Narmadji has spoken about her desire to improve the country for future generations, as well as to embolden and equip other, younger protestors to carry on her cause as she grows older.
Personal Life
Little information is publicly available about her personal life.
Bibliography
“Céline Narmadji: Courage in the Face of Intimidation.” Amnesty.org, 28 Sept. 2017, www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2017/09/celine-narmadji-the-courage-in-the-face-of-intimidation/. Accessed 27 June 2023.
“Chad Country Profile.” BBC, 10 April 2023, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13164686. Accessed 27 June 2023.
Manatouma, Kelma. “Narmadji (Céline).” Le Maitron, 25 March 2017, maitron.fr/spip.php?article190868. Accessed 27 June 2023.
Narmadji, Céline. “Mon Combat: Obtenir un Changement Durable.” Le Point Afrique, September 2016.
“Panic, Outcry at Government Charcoal Ban.” The New Humanitarian, 16 Jan. 2009, www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news/2009/01/16/panic-outcry-government-charcoal-ban. Accessed 27 June 2023.