by Neba Jerome Ambe

The current socio-political crisis in Cameroon hurts the civilian population curbing the enjoyment of human rights in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon. More than half a million people are estimated as displaced across the country, most of them living in host communities scattered in other parts of Cameroon including urban areas. The internally displaced persons in the cities, forest, and farm areas are in dire need of assistance and protection. Their deteriorating living conditions, the inability of children to attend schools, difficulties in accessing food, water, health, education, and other basic needs and services in addition to gender-based violence and other abuses and human rights violations therefore require immediate action.

According to the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA), 206 villages (99 in the South-West and 107 in the North-West) have been raided and partially or completely burnt down since January 2017.  The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in January 2019, declared 440,000 people as internally displaced with 220,000 in the North-West and 200,000 in the South-West region and the number keeps increasing as the crisis continues to go unresolved.

In response, Nkumu Fed Fed has signed a grant agreement with the European Union (EU) Delegation in Cameroon following approval of the project titled: “Stop Violence Now against Women and Girls”. This action addresses the main objectives of Lot 2 of the 2021 CSO/EIDHR call for expressions of interest: “Protection and promotion of the rights of vulnerable groups and persons”, which corresponds to the risks that IDP victims of GBV are exposed to in the North-West regions of Cameroon as a result of the on-going socio-political crisis.

While launching the project in Bamenda in the presence of the Regional Delegate of Women Empowerment and the Family, that of Social Affairs, Journalist and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), it was disclosed that the rate of Gender-Based Violence has increased in the North West Region as a result of the socio-political crisis and need urgent attention.

According to Mrs. Eunice Tita Tata, the project manager, the project targets 250 beneficiaries within two years. Amongst these 250, 150 will be teenage GBV survivors while 100 will be adults with 20% being men. The beneficiaries she explained will undergo training at the skill center of Nkumu Fed Fed and with other partner training centers and at the end of their training, they will receive start-up kits and end-of-course certificates.