The Government of Cameroon launched its first National Action Plan (NAP) in November 2017 for a period of three years (2018-2020). The NAP was developed by the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, with technical and financial support from UN Women and determining contributions of the concerted public administrations, civil society organisations, community leaders. The main data for identifying NAP priorities was compiled by WILPF Cameroon, which has also played a crucial role in mobilising on Women, Peace and Security across the country and developing this National Action Plan. This NAP incorporates the main principles of Security Council Resolution 1325, 1820, 1888, 1889, 1960, 2106, 2122 and 2242. The framework of implementation of the NAP comprises of three organs: the piloting and orientation committee; the national technical coordination of 1325; the regional, divisional and sub-divisional units. Each administration responsible for activities involving its mandate, and international organisations, private administrations and civil society organisations involved may, apart from their own funding, negotiate funding and technical support from financial and technical partners.
For a long time, Cameroon was considered as a model of peace in Africa. However, nowadays, it is confronted with enormous security challenges provoked by political instability in neighbouring countries on the one hand, the unjustified attacks of Boko Haram and miscellaneous social claims on the other hand. The consequences of this situation include the increase of violence, the death of numerous innocent Cameroonians among whom many women and children, forced and massive movements of populations, the destruction of whole villages, the slowing down of activities, the proliferation of armed weapons and small calibres which are likely to maintain the population in insecurity and permanent fear.
By adopting the NAP, the Government of Cameroon reaffirms its commitment to improve the participation of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and to take the necessary measures for the protection of women and girls before, during and after conflicts. However, the NAP, while referencing the impact of arms proliferation on women, does not offer any specific actions for disarmament and arms control, including monitoring mechanisms for assessing the impact of arms proliferation on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Also, the NAP offers no specific framework for monitoring of the NAP implementation.