Paulette Oyane-Ondo
Gabon
Central African Shield Award 2013
Paulette Oyane-Ondo was awarded the Central African Shield Award 2013 for her work with the Centre for Democratization and the Defense of Human Rights in Gabon (CDDH-Gabon). She is a lawyer from Gabon who has been fighting for social justice and the respect of citizen’s rights in Gabon. Among other causes, she campaigned against the demolition of private houses that left many in Gabon homeless.
Her human rights work resulted in smear campaigns and threats to herself and the village where she is from, but her energy and activism continue to inspire other human rights defenders across the African continent.
“A citizen is someone who is aware of his or her rights. A citizen is someone who refuses injustice. A citizen is someone who refuses arbitrariness. […] as citizens, we are the people. And in front of the people no power is too strong.“
Paulette Oyane-Ondo