Maximilienne Ngo Mbe
Cameroonian human rights campaigner
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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] |
| Occupation | human-rights campaigner |
| Known for | leading the Réseau des Défenseurs des Droits Humains en Afrique Centrale (REDHAC) |
Life
She 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 Rights 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, 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]
On 4 August 2025, a trial began at the Douala-Bonanjo Court of First Instance against Ngo Mbe and Alice Nkom on charges of "breaking seals", "rebellion" and "refusal to comply with a summons".[12]