Women and Conflict Resolution, CHRDA discussions with young Women
3 min read
[As Published on CHRDA official website] Women play a vital role in the promotion of Peace in Cameroon and beyond. However, with their important role in peacebuilding, the participation of women in peacebuilding processes is very low in Cameroon. The ongoing Anglophone armed conflict, the Boko Haram Insurgency and the unstable political situation warrants the involvement of women in every peace process.
During the National Dialogue, the participation of women was minimal and this has become a new normal during dialogues, negotiations, mediations etc. As a result, the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa has continued to play its role by building the capacity of women on peace and conflict resolution.
Funded by the French Embassy-Cameroon, the one-day symposium took place in Buea on 23 July 2021 and was attended by more than 50 young women/youths.
According to Ms Ebenye Karin, Gender Officer at CHRDA, when women are involved in peacebuilding processes, its progress and resolutions are sustainable than when their role is relegated. She further tells the young women participating during the training that they should start to involve themselves in peacebuilding in their various domains. This is because by so doing their capacities will be strengthened.
Amongst the thematic areas discussed was Resolution 1325, which was adopted in the year 2000 to reaffirm the central role of women in conflict prevention, management and resolution. This is an international instrument, which is very important for activists promoting gender equality.
Speaking during the event, Dr Fokum Violet, the CHRDA Executive Director and Gender Expert reiterated that women suffer from all types of violations during armed conflict, as is the case in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon. She said that women should not only wait to be involved in peacebuilding initiatives but that they should get themselves ready and even be the ones to be initiating peacebuilding processes. The young women and men present were also encouraged to be peace ambassadors to their communities and be able to lead in peacebuilding initiations and not only wait to be involved.
Mr Edumebong Smith Naseri, the project coordinator, while speaking to the participants at the end of the workshop, encourages the young men present in the workshop to be he-for-she ambassadors and that they should start building an equal future, where there is gender equality and where women are allowed to participate in major peacebuilding initiatives.
Problems identified by young women during the event included; lack of political will towards the inclusion of women in significant peace processes, limited capacity building and limited laws encouraging and supporting women in that regard.
Some of the recommendations by young women were tilted towards more capacity building and establishment of laws, which are friendly to women taking into consideration their vulnerabilities.
This workshop entitled “Women and Conflict Resolution” was part of the project being implemented by CHRDA and funded by the French Embassy in Yaoundé under the major theme “Engaging citizens and the Media in promoting a culture of peace in the North West and South West Region of Cameroon”
Berinyuy Cajetan is the founder and publisher of Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (HRLRC) since 2017. He has intensive experience in strategic communications for Civil Society Organizations, campaign and advocacy, and social issues. He has an intensive experiencing in human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting.
