Jessica Ilunga

organization overview

Ius Stella leverages justice as a transformative tool to foster social inclusion, peace, and prosperity. While addressing the urgent legal needs of poor prisoners, Ius Stella’s data-driven and performance-based legal aid system will enhance the efficiency and fairness of the justice system by catalyzing a shift towards people-centered justice. Ius Stella’s rehabilitation program equips released individuals with the skills and support needed to reintegrate into society, which helps to lift them out of poverty. To ensure lasting impact, Ius Stella trains the next generation of public defenders by establishing legal clinics in universities. This training enables promising law students to gain valuable experience working alongside its pro bono legal team.

Personal Bio

Jessica T. Ilunga is the founder and executive director of Ius Stella, a non-profit that expands equal access to justice in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). After obtaining a master’s degree in European and international law from the KU Leuven and a master of science in global politics from the London School of Economics, she embarked on a career in strategic communication to amplify African voices on the global stage and shift prevailing narratives about her continent. This commitment has guided her throughout her career, whether managing DRC’s communication strategy during an Ebola outbreak or advocating for women’s rights in Gabon.

Her life took an unexpected turn with the arbitrary arrest of her father in Kinshasa. This ordeal unveiled grim realities faced by many within the Congolese justice system and ignited her resolve to combat these injustices. Ius Stella was born out of Jessica’s determination to offer the support she yearned for during her father’s imprisonment and to stand up for those who find themselves forgotten in the shadows.