Marcelline Budza has been awarded the 2020 UiO Human Rights Award for her work in the Democratic Republic of Congo securing women’s financial rights and increasing their participation in society through the coffee cooperation Rebuild Women’s Hope. Her work includes investing a part of the income from the cooperation to support and promote women’s health and education. Perhaps you would like to buy coffee from this women's coffee cooperative and support a great project - visit here.
Budza is from the Democratic Republic of Congo, actively working to empower women in a country that has been plagued by civil war and corruption. On her three-day visit to Oslo, Budza received the honors she had not been able to receive earlier due to the pandemic. She has also been connected to experts on maternal, pediatric, and psycho-social health at the Oslo University Hospital.
The CGH and the Faculty of Medicine are honored and inspired by her visit.
Background
In 2013, Budza created a women’s coffee producing association, an organization to help locals take charge of their own destinies rather than accepting persecution, poverty, and violation of rights. The company is in the province of Ituri and the Great North of Congo, an area where women, children and men have been victims of the atrocities of war and where getting quality health care is difficult. She has worked tirelessly since then to empower many women to regain their economic independence and become active participants in society and the economy. Health services have been developed alongside the success of the coffee production company.
Last year, the CGH launched a new initiative on gender in global health and celebrated with an online event, in collaboration with Women in Global Health Norway, which highlighted community gender equity in health efforts across Africa. Marcelline Budza was the keynote speakers in honor of her 2020 Human Rights Award from UiO. Event details including the webinar recording can be found here.