The laureates

Description

Patricia Carolle Maneng’s Sunday is a doctoral student in International Relations and a feminist activist working to promote girls’ access to education, women’s economic independence, and their involvement in strategic and political decision-making.She has received several awards and honors in Africa for helping numerous girls and young women from crisis-stricken regions integrate into their host communities, both educationally and economically. Patricia founded the “Girls Empowerment for Leadership Association (GELA)” in 2019, with the mission of promoting the empowerment of young girls through education, gender equality, the education and social reintegration of young mothers, and women’s empowerment and leadership by combating major contemporary social ills. It carries out prevention, training, and support initiatives, and also serves as a forum for reflection and discussion on gender-related social issues.

“Commit to equality, defend rights, and uphold the values of justice and inclusion.”

Patricia Carolle Maneng’s Sunday interview - 01/26/24

Can you introduce yourself ?

I am Patricia Maneng’s, a 32-year-old woman from Cameroon and a doctoral student in international relations. I advocate for access to quality education for girls, economic independence for young women, and the inclusion of women in decision-making.

Can you describe your work as a human rights advocate?

I am committed to advancing the rights of women and girls in conflict zones, particularly their access to education. I promote gender equality, social inclusion, women’s leadership, and a sense of civic and social responsibility.

I founded the Girls Empowerment for Leadership Association (GELA) in 2019. The association’s goal is to raise awareness and empower women and girls through education. It also works to combat contemporary social ills such as GBV (Editor’s note: : gender-based violence), child marriage, human trafficking, and prostitution.

My work focuses on developing prevention programs, cultural activities, coaching, and capacity-building initiatives for girls and women. I have also created a forum for reflection and discussion on gender-related issues. Although my work is aimed at a female audience, I do not exclude men, whose mindset must change for my work to be successful.

Why did you decide to advocate for human rights?

Ever since I was a child, I have felt a sense of duty to get involved—first as a young girl, then as a woman. I did not accept Cameroon’s patriarchal system. The crisis in Cameroon also led to a significant increase in the precariousness of women’s lives, driving many into prostitution—a situation in which I felt powerless.So, I wanted to dedicate myself to the education of young women, which can help them gain confidence, just as it did for me. I wanted to share my experiences with all women, which is why I committed myself to their cause.

In 2018, I organized my first charity event to cover school tuition and supplies for young girls; to pay for vocational training costs for young women; to provide microloans to help women start small businesses; and to build women’s capacity to cope with the consequences of armed conflict. In 2019, I decided to start my own nonprofit organization to ensure that donations went toward the cause I defend.

What do you expect from the Marianne Initiative in terms of strengthening your project?

For me, the Marianne Initiative is an international platform that serves as a conduit for helping young girls and women. Through its training programs—particularly those focused on advocacy—it will enable me to gain knowledge that I can pass on to GELA’s members and beneficiaries, who can in turn share it as part of our work. Through this mentoring process, I will be able to raise awareness among a larger number of people. Therefore, I expect the Marianne Initiative to support me—logistically, institutionally, and financially—in developing my project in order to raise awareness of women’s issues.

What do you expect from the activities of the Marianne Initiative program?

The activities of the Marianne Initiative will enable me to open a GELA branch in France so that I can not only secure potential funding but also coordinate activities in Cameroon. My goal is to forge ties with French organizations, institutions, and associations so that I can expand my association internationally.

What are your plans after the program ends?

After completing the program, I plan to finish my Ph.D., which will open up new opportunities for me. At the same time, I hope to continue developing the project “Women and Girls Reintegration IDPs Program : Academic, Economic, and Political Reintegration of Displaced Girls and Women from Crisis-Affected Regions in NOSO, Cameroon.” This project aims to train women in decision-making and crisis resolution. Before I arrived in France, I also carried out activities to identify victims of gender-based violence, with the goal of establishing support centers and legal clinics, and this is a project I would like to continue after the program ends.

Would you like to add anything else ?

I’d like to look back on the activities I’ve carried out over the past few years, particularly with GELA. The organization has made it possible to launch a large number of projects:

• awareness-raising activities, training for educators and women, and discussion groups on various topics (the right to a healthy and safe environment, climate change, sexually transmitted diseases, health risks, etc.) aimed at educating participants;
• support groups for victims of VSS : gender-based and sexual violence and psychosocial support;
• discussion forums with influential institutions (the World Bank, the Commonwealth, the German Embassy in Cameroon) on various topics;
• my participation in international conferences (African Women's Summit) and my nomination for several awards (Girls Empowerment Champion).