Cameroon : Maximilienne Ngo Mbe, human rights activist

Maximilienne Ngo Mbe’s career has assigned her to many different roles all over Africa. Portrait.

From 2004 to 2010, Maximilienne Ngo Mbe served as Secretary General of the Solidarity Association for the Promotion of Human and People’s Rights (PRODHOP) in Cameroon. In 2007, there was a huge turning point since she was elected as Secretary Advocacy Officer during the creation of REDHAC in Kigali (Rwanda). As part of her duties, she traveled to many countries in Africa, Europe and America to advocate with regional and international organizations in charge of human rights for the visibility of this newly created network.

Implicitly, Maximilienne undertook to seek recognition of the work of this entity in accordance with the United Nations Declaration of 1998. She held that position until 2010, when she was promoted as Executive Director of REDHAC in Brazzaville. She later advocated for the promotion of the work of defenders, their protection in all circumstances and without discrimination, but also for the consolidation of democratic institutions and respect for fundamental freedoms.

In 2014, Maximilienne became a member of the Coalition for an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. This entity encourages African states to endow the Court with material, human and financial resources to ensure genuine independence.

Since 2016, REDHAC has adopted, internally, a draft bill for the “promotion and protection of defenders and activists” in Central Africa. Maximilienne set herself the task of pleading for the adoption of this project among the various states.

Maximilienne Ngo Mbe is also a member of the Steering Committee of the NGO Forum, a member of the Steering Committee of the African Democratic Forum (FDA) and an expert of the African Union on issues of democracy, elections and democracy, as well as governance.