Visionary Reports

They met to brainstorm on their role in the national Peace Building process

Women in the Littoral region have been holding meetings to ensure that their voices are heard in the upcoming National Dialogue announced by the Head of State President Paul Biya in his address to the Nation on September 10, 2019.  Spearheaded by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) in coordination with the Cameroon Women for Peaceful Elections and Peace Education platform, the women assembled at the hall of the Regional Delegation of MINADER recently to push forward their agenda. Although the Head of State President Paul Biya did not pay specific attention to women in his speech, the women holds that they are most affected in the crisis, be it in the Far North Region, North West and South West Regions. They reiterated that the forces of law and order, separatist fighters or civilians who die are all born by women.  As the crisis persists many more women are becoming widows as others are left alone to cater for their family.

While effectively mobilizing to support the ongoing process, the women elucidated that their voices should be heard at this crucial point in time. They equally  recalled that in the modern strategy of conflict management and resolutions, peace building and security, women are a specific group targeted by the United Nations System in which Cameroon is a  party to.

Against this back drop, the coordinator of the Cameroon Women for Peaceful Elections and Peace Education platform  Madam Sylvie Jacqueline Ndongmo explained that women and children are the first victims  of violent conflicts consequently their situation have to be looked into specifically. She opines that women’s leadership and participation in conflict and post conflict prevention and management processes, peace building and social cohesion is paramount.

At the end of the consultation and exchange meeting, the women agreed to facilitate a  sensitization campaign for women on their role in the upcoming dialogue, organized  community  consultation in all regions ,participate in  consultative meetings organized y other stake holders. They were also conscious of the fact that women need to be represented in pre- community consultative meeting.  They highlighted that the national dialogue should take into consideration, the governance and conflict dynamics of each region as well as ensuring that women’s standpoint are  been articulated at the dialogue.