Marthe Wandou (born 15 October 1963) is a Cameroonian lawyer and women's rights activist.
Marthe Wandou | |
---|---|
Born | Kaélé, Cameroon | October 15, 1963
Education | University of Yaoundé |
Known for | Women's rights activism |
Early life and education
editWandou was born in Kaélé, Cameroon on 15 October 1963. Her parents were supportive of female education, and she was one of the first women from Kaélé to enroll in university.[1] She received a license in private law at the University of Yaoundé and a master's in project management at the Catholic University of Central Africa. She also studied gender studies at the University of Antwerp.[2]
Career
editIn 1998, Wandou founded Action Locale pour un Développement Participatif et Autogéré (ALDEPA) to provide female education for young girls in Cameroon and prevent violence against women.[3] She is an advocate of psychosocial support for victims of sexual violence and kidnapping.[2] Wandou provides legal support for victims of gender-based violence.[1] She also provides support for children that are victimised by Boko Haram.[4]
Wandou was a laureate of the Right Livelihood Award in 2021, becoming the first Cameroonian to receive the award.[2] The organisation described her as "one of the leading voices for the protection of girls and women in the region".[5]
References
edit- ^ a b Ngochi, Eleanor Ayuketah (2021-10-05). "Marthe Wandou gets 2021 Right Livelihood Award, Alternative Nobel Prize". Cameroon Radio Television. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
- ^ a b c "Cameroonian girls' and women's rights defender Marthe Wandou receives 2021 Right Livelihood Award". Right Livelihood. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
- ^ "Marthe Wandou - Human Rights Profile". The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. 2023-04-11. Retrieved 2024-05-25.
- ^ "Cameroonian Marthe Wandou receives Right Livelihood award". The North Africa Post. 2021-09-30. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
- ^ Asamoah, Vivian (2021-09-30). "Cameroonian gender activist wins 2021 Alternative Nobel Prize". The African Courier. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
External links
edit- Cameroon: A lifelong advocate for women and girls – Audio interview at BBC Sounds (5:30)