Hélène Himmer is a French national with roots in the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, based in Portugal. She is a committed activist and professional with a diverse background in human rights law, corporate social responsibility and international development.

She holds a Master's degree in International and European Law from the University of Rouen, complemented by an MBA from ISCTE Business School. Her activism began in her early teens with a youth organisation focused on education, youth rights and inclusion, where she later served as Executive Director for over three years. She then spent seven years working for racial justice in France with SOS Racisme, where she was a board member for over four years.

Moving to the corporate sector, Hélène worked in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in start-ups and technology companies. However, her passion for social impact led her to international organisations such as the British Council and the Council of Europe, where she specialised in advocacy, project management and partnerships. Her work has focused on climate justice, peacebuilding, anti-corruption, women's empowerment, youth cooperation and inclusive societies across Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and the MENA region.

A firm believer in cultural exchange, she has studied and lived in Brazil, Belgium and Portugal, deepening her understanding of diverse global perspectives. In April 2024, she joined the advisory board of Pay No Bribe Animators (PaNBA) in Sierra Leone and is now stepping into the role of board chair, furthering her commitment to impactful engagement and advocacy.

Hélène is currently the Policy and Advocacy Officer at African Futures Lab (AfaLab), an international non-profit organisation supporting racial justice movements in Europe and Africa. AfaLab conducts research and develops policy and legal strategies to empower civil society actors and public and private institutions in their fight for justice and reparations. The organisation works to highlight the intersections between racial, social, economic and environmental injustices in Europe and Africa, and to advocate for meaningful policy reform. Hélène is currently leading a project on climate reparations, a critical issue at the intersection of racial, climate and economic justice.