Henriette Ekwe Ebongo

Henriette Ekwe Ebongo (December 25, 1949)^[1] is a Cameroonian journalist, publisher and political activist. She was awarded the International Women of Courage Award in 2011.^[2][3]

Henriette Ekwe Ebongo
Ebongo in 2011
Born	(1949-12-25) December 25, 1949 (age 75)
Nationality	Cameroonian
Occupation	Journalist

Early life

Henriette Ekwe Ebongo was born on December 25, 1949, in Cameroon. She began her early education in the town of Ambam, a locality situated near the borders of Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon. Ebongo continued her studies through elementary course 1. From a young age, she demonstrated a strong interest in social justice, a passion that would go on to influence her career path as a journalist, publisher, and political activist. Over the years, Ekwe became known for her dedication to democratic values and advocacy in areas such as press freedom, gender equality, human rights, and good governance. Her unwavering commitment to these causes garnered international recognition, including the prestigious International Women of Courage Award in 2011.^[1]

Biography

Ebongo advocates freedom of press, gender equality, human rights, and good governance. She was active in the struggle against dictatorship in the 1980s, and the current campaign against government corruption, gender discrimination and human rights abuses. During this time she has suffered repression, torture, and being taken to military court.^[2][4]

She is the publisher of the independent weekly newspaper Babela and is a founder of the Cameroon branch of Transparency International, the anti-corruption non-governmental organization.^[5]