Maximilienne Chantal Ngo Mbe (born 1972) is a Cameroonian human-rights campaigner. She leads the Réseau des Défenseurs des Droits Humains en Afrique Centrale (REDHAC). She was given the International Women of Courage Award in 2021.
Maximilienne Ngo Mbe | |
|---|---|
 in 2021 | |
| Born | 1972[1] |
| Nationality | Cameroonian |
| Occupation | human-rights campaigner |
| Known for | leading the Réseau des Défenseurs des Droits Humains en Afrique Centrale (REDHAC) |
Life
editShe has led the Cameroon-based Network of Human Rights Defenders of Central Africa (Réseau de Défenseurs des Droits Humains de l’Afrique Centrale) (REDHAC)[2] since 2010.[3] She and her organisation are based in Douala in Cameroon.[3] REDHAC covers eight countries of Central Africa namely the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and Príncipe.[4]
She is the treasurer of the African Democracy Network and she is on the board of the Pan African Human Rights Defenders Network.[5] This network champions the protection of other Human Right Defenders.[6]
She has worked as an Elections Observer and a Consultant to the African Union.[5]
In 2013 she moved her children to live in France to protect them.[3] She faces criticism for having "sold out to Westerners" and since 2017 she has been harassed on social media.[3]
In February 2020 she called out the government's version of events following the Ngarbuh massacre when 22 civilians were killed by soldiers.[7]
In 2021 she was one of fourteen women chosen to receive an International Women of Courage Award.[8] The ceremony was virtual due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and it included an address by First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden. After the award ceremony all of the fourteen awardees would be able to take part in a virtual exchange as part an International Visitor Leadership Program.[9] Unusually another seven women were included in the awards who had died in Afghanistan.[10]
In 2022 she received the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award.[11]
References
edit- ^ https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/aussenpolitik/menschenrechte/-/285668 Retrieved December 11, 2023
- ^ "Maximilienne Ngo Mbe". Front Line Defenders. 2015-12-31. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
- ^ a b c d "We Want Change – Maximilienne Ngo Mbe". Civil Rights Defenders. 2020-03-04. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
- ^ "AFRICAN DEFENDERS | Central Africa". Retrieved 2021-03-10.
- ^ a b "Maximilienne C. Ngo Mbe | localhost". www.africademocracyforum.org. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
- ^ "AFRICAN DEFENDERS | Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network". Retrieved 2021-03-10.
- ^ "Maximilienne Ngo Mbe, Biography". www.camerounweb.com. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
- ^ "Maximilienne C. Ngo Mbe (Cameroon) | Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs". eca.state.gov. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
- ^ "2021 International Women of Courage Award Recipients Announced". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ^ D. | AP, Sonia PÉrez. "3 female Guatemalan judges defend rule of law". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
- ^ "Human Rights Award Laureates". Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. Retrieved 2024-11-07.