Alice Nkom

**Alice Nkom** (born January 14, 1945) be Cameroonian lawyer, politician, den human rights activist wey people know am for how she dey defend de rights of LGBTQ+ people for Cameroon insyd. She be de first woman for Central Africa wey come turn lawyer, wey dem note am for de way she dey fight make dem stop dey treat homosexuality as crime for de region.

Nkom start to study law for de School of Law for Toulouse Capitole University, France. She finish ein studies for de University of Yaoundé wey she dey practice law for Douala, Cameroon, since 1969. Wen she be 24 years old, she come turn de first Black French-speaking woman wey dem admit am for de bar for Cameroon insyd. Right now, she be de president of de Central African Human Rights Defenders Network (French: *Réseau des défenseurs des droits humains en Afrique centrale*, Redhac).

When she return from France, Alice Nkom continue ein schooling for de University of Yaoundé; later after she do ein Bar exam, she start to practice law for Cameroon for 1969, wey she turn attorney for people wey dem dey marginalize den discriminate against. She get big reputation for how she dey handle cases wey hard, especially de ones wey link to social justice, human rights, den groups like LGBTQ+ people.

As ein career dey grow, Nkom focus more for how she go defend people wey de law dey pursue under Article 347 bis of de Cameroonian penal code, wey be de law wey dey make same-sex relations turn crime. For ein work insyd, she meet chaw young people den people wey no get money wey police catch dem after somebody report dem or for police operations insyd. Dis cases make am engage legally to challenge de discrimination wey dey de national law insyd den how people for Cameroon dey see same-sex relationships.

As of 2026, Nkom dey ein 80s insyd but she still dey mentor younger lawyers. She dey join conferences den discussions wey link to minority rights den legal ethics. Her work still dey help keep nationwide discussion about how law suppose protect citizens ein rights. Chaw people describe am as person wey stay long for Cameroonian legal practice wey ein career dey show how e be important to get access to justice den protection for people wey dem dey marginalize.

Secof de work wey she do, especially for de time wey dem dey pursue gay people, The New Yorker put ein name for second place for de list of "The Eight Most Fascinating Africans of 2012."

## Ein early life den education
Dem born Alice Nkom for Poutkak, Cameroon, wer she spend ein early years. She study law for de Toulouse Capitole University, France, before she return come finish ein studies for de University of Yaoundé. She come turn licensed attorney when she be 24 years old, wey be de first woman lawyer for Cameroon insyd. Alice Nkom be de daughter of Martin Nkom Bayi den Alice Ngo Bikang; she come from family wey get eleven children, wey ein parents originally come from de coastal region of Cameroon. She be from de Bassa tribe.

## Ein career
Nkom start ein legal career for de 1960s, wey she become popular for how she dey advocate for people wey dem marginalize. For 2003, she establish de Association for the Defense of Homosexuality (ADEFHO); dis be organization wey dey give legal den social support to LGBTQ+ people for Cameroon, where de law talk say same-sex relationships be crime. Ein association, ADEFHO, still dey raise awareness about how dem dey violate due-process for court. Dat time, chaw people see homosexuality as taboo, wey e be lawyers small pittance pɛ wey dem gree take dat kind cases. How she create ADEFHO be big moment for rights-based legal advocacy for Cameroon insyd.

## References



## External links

*Q&A with IPA Africa
*Profile in ''The Advocate''