Houda Malloum

Creating Radio for Refugee Women from Darfur - standing up for human rights

Houda Mahamat Malloum is a full-time host, reporter and producer at La Voix du Ouaddai, a community radio station in Abeche, Chad, set up by the non-profit Internews network to serverefugees from Darfur and local Chadians. As well as presenting the news at noon every day, Malloum produces Internews' weekly radio show, "She Speaks, She Listens." The program focuses on violence against women and girls, covering taboo subjects such as rape, female genital cutting and forced child marriage.

In this conservative Muslim society, the 25-year-old journalist often faces disapproval for her choice of work. "People in Abeche criticize girls who work with men, but I close my ears so as not to hear it", Malloum says. "I am proud of my work, and my parents are proud of me, too." Malloum dreams of continuing her journalism training abroad, and ultimately becoming a foreign correspondent.

Standing up for the principles of the Universal Declaration
Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms the right not to be discriminated against based on one's sex. These important tenets against gender-based discrimination were strengthened in 1979 through the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

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