Cameroon: Maximilienne Ngo Mbe receives the International Prize for Female Courage

Maximilienne Ngo Mbe at the Redhac headquarters in Douala.

The Cameroonian received the 2021 International Women's Courage Award from the US State Department on Monday.

© Jeanne Richard / RFI

Text by: Alexandra Brangeon Follow

4 min

Cameroonian Maximilienne Ngo Mbe received on Monday the 2021 International Prize for Women's Courage awarded by the US State Department on the occasion of International Women's Day.

She is the director of the Network of Human Rights Defenders of Central Africa and has notably denounced the violations committed in the conflict between the Cameroonian government and the English-speaking separatists.

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RFI: What are your reactions after this prize awarded by Washington?

Maximilienne Ngo Mbe:

For all the defenders who have been assassinated or who are languishing in prisons… It is a source of pride for us.

I think that's quite a symbol.

It is also something that we wanted to say to the governments of our countries in particular and of Central Africa in general, that it is the defenders who are on the safe side.

I dedicate this award to them and tell them: never give up.

But at the same time, I am afraid.

Because I know it's not easy to have that kind of heavy responsibility, knowing that you don't have a lot of leeway, to do more than you have to do.

Cameroon is going through very difficult times.

We are trying, as much as possible, to bring peace to the North West and South West regions.

Is this price also a message for the authorities?

I think the message is clear.

The whole world is tired of this war, which does not honor Cameroon.

It is a fratricidal war.

And the message is clear, to tell the government: there is no point in covering up violence.

It is better to denounce them, to do justice to the victims.

The message also goes to the separatists who listen to me and who understand that it is also for them this message, to say: do justice to the victims, to the victims of all stripes.

Remember the Human Rights Watch report on the mass rapes?

The government has muzzled us to the point that it is an international NGO that is not on the ground that is obliged to take our information because we are afraid of reprisals.

I think we will take our courage in hand so that we deal with the Anglophone issue here in Cameroon and that it be resolved with all stakeholders.

And do you think this message will be heard by those who commit these abuses?

I think that will change a lot of things because it is still Washington.

And these are not people giving prizes as a joke.

It is all the same prices which say: “

 Be careful, we have our eyes and we know that this is not how things should be 

”.

Does it give you wings to continue your work and your struggle?

With or without, we have a slogan: “

 Never give up 

”.

Since many of our defenders were forced into exile, I decided not to leave elsewhere for a long time.

I separated from my very young children who are now in France, so I decided to stay in Cameroon.

I would not leave until justice was done for everyone fairly.

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• Cameroon

• International women's rights day

• Womens rights

• NGO