CORE FOCUS AREAS

• Gender Equality

 

We have an explicit focus on the rights of young girls and women. We are cognizant of the fact that gender is a universal contributor to poverty and injustice and focus our work accordingly. Women suffer inequalities in political participation, in the access to and control of productive resources, and are more vulnerable in emergencies and conflicts. While women have long been key economic and social figures in our society, the notion that they can exercise control over their productive resources and make decisions to explore their full potential is perceived negatively. For sustained social, political, and economic transformation, this perception needs to be reversed.

 

Furthermore, young women shoulder the burden of care and support in both their households and communities. Their reproductive health rights are often violated due to power imbalances within households, communities, and institutions. These violations of human rights are in direct contradiction to numerous international human rights instruments which require states to take all appropriate measures to eliminate the political, social, economic, and cultural injustices that women face because of their gender.

 

For example, Cameroon has ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which describes discrimination against women in Article I:

 

“…the term “discrimination against women” shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on the basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.”

 

Furthermore, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (or the “Maputo Protocol”) similarly recognizes that discrimination against women stands in the way of their human rights being fully realized. Article 1 (f) defines discrimination against women as the following:

 

“‘Discrimination against women’ means any distinction, exclusion, or restriction or any differential treatment based on sex and whose objectives or effects compromise or destroy the recognition, enjoyment, or the exercise by women, regardless of their marital status, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in all spheres of life.”

 

Based on these definitions, we have an obligation to actively reject the forms of discrimination against women that are prevalent in our society. Our analysis of the link between gender inequality and poverty indicates that poverty is aggravated by unequal power relations, injustice, exclusion, and the patriarchy more broadly. These are key drivers of young girls’ vulnerability; indeed, thousands of female youths have been denied access to many basic rights. Abuse against women and girls is persistent, systematic, and openly condoned.

 

Progress has been made by national and international women’s rights organizations that raise awareness about women’s human rights violations, but violence and discrimination against girls still remain global social epidemics. CCID works closely with institutions to make significant strides in advancing the women’s rights agenda at the local, national, and international levels by raising awareness of rights, supporting basic needs of women and girls, and advocating for gender responsive policies and legislation.

 

We also recognize that persistent harmful religious, social, and cultural beliefs such as female genital mutilation (FGM), widowhood rites and practics, wife battering, forced early marriages, rape, and sexual harassment are significant obstacles in the path toward gender equality in Cameroon and the African continent. At CCID, we devote energy and resources toward studying gender discrimination in communities across the country. We are committed to developing programs and initiatives that fight against gender-based violence and empower women and girls, including:

 

• Violence prevention programmes in schools
• Leadership training for young girls
• Developing training programs for community actors on concepts relating to human rights and women’s empowerment
• Raising awareness about sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)
• Training community violence-free mediators
• Constructing mobile mediation posts

 

Additionally, through the publication of original research and policy/advocacy briefs, we inform the public about our communities’ most pressing gender discrimination issues while pushing policymakers and local leaders to protect women’s rights in every sphere of society.

 

Descriptions of our projects and programs centered around gender equality can be found here. Please view our Publications section to browse our policy briefs and research pertaining to women’s rights in Cameroon.

 

• Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

 

Because of the taboos surrounding discussions about sexual and reproductive health, many young people are vulnerable as a result of their ignorance about these key health topics. Young people who are not informed about the causes and consequences of STIs, unwanted pregnancies, rape, and cross-generational sex often find themselves wishing they were more informed about these issues earlier. Reproductive health challenges can pose many detrimental effects on the lives of youth, such as negatively impacting their health, worsening their performance in schools, and deteriorating their overall well-being.

 

Our approach to combating the reproductive health challenges faced by adolescents is multifaceted. Our experience, research, and expertise indicate that promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment, open communication, and comprehensive health education is key to advancing the well-being of young people across Cameroon.

 

Thus, we are committed to taking various concrete actions that improve the lives of adolescents, paying special attention to the objectives outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). For example, excerpts of SDG Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and Goal 5 (Gender Equality) are as follows:

 

3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.

 

5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences.

 

One such way we have addressed the interrelated issues of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) is through the development of community-based initiatives. Addressing Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs through Edutainment addresses young people’s sexual and reproductive health challenges that arise as a result of lack of education, poor parent-child communication, and low overall knowledge of SRHR. This initiative was designed to provide adolescents with a comprehensive understanding of HIV/AIDS and other STIs, unwanted pregnancy, gender violence, menstrual hygiene, parent and child communication, and life skills through a series of community educational and entertainment activities offered in select community schools around the Southwest Region.

In addition, we educate communities about issues relating to sexual harassment, gender violence, and health through the development of our own research and advocacy briefs. Our SRHR Advocate Program likewise expands the public understanding of a variety of SRHR topics. We also actively advocate for improved communication between parents and children regarding SRHR topics. It is very important for adolescents to feel that they can get accurate information about this subject from an adult they trust.

 

A description of our SRHR Advocate Program can be found here. Our country-wide study on the prevalence of sexual harassment in Cameroon can be found here.

 The work we do at CCID is rooted in the fundamental truth that people everywhere are entitled to enjoy their full range of human rights. We therefore take a human rights approach in our programs, projects, and initiatives by outlining how to best protect and promote the fundamental rights of the communities we work with. Whether we are focusing on issues relating to gender equality, economic development, health rights, political rights, or youth rights, we draw on the principles of international human rights instruments, protections in the law, and the needs of individuals across Cameroon to effectively communicate the importance of securing rights for everyone. We raise awareness about human rights by promoting educational human rights initiatives centered around issue areas such as gender-based violence, poverty, community development, reproductive health rights, and more.

 

We are especially aware of the power and energy that youth bring as advocates for human rights. This is why we developed the Cameroon Human Rights Fellowship, a program that engages young activists in the informed, responsive, and sustained promotion of human rights through a continuous program of research and education. This program is guided by the rationale that the protection and promotion of human rights is not limited to a single topic, sector, or government agency; rather, these are actions that require informed, sustained, and inclusive action by a diverse array of stakeholders with a particular focus on young people.

 

• Community Development

Securing sustainable livelihoods is a key part of CCID’s goal to ensure that communities are enjoying their full range of economic human rights. International human rights instruments likewise call on states parties to protect these rights, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. Most of our target population derives their livelihood from agriculture, primarily through subsistence and commercial farming. This indicates that ensuring that Cameroonian farmers are consistently engaged in gainful agricultural economic practices means that their well-being can only be improved.

 

Our interventions encourage using local material and human resources in a way that enhances economic outcomes while improving social conditions. We use formal and informal methods to promote learning and social development with the individuals and communities that we work with. Women and children in particular provide the bulk of family labor; furthermore, many female farmers live below the poverty line as their economic situation is worsened by their limited control and ownership of productive resources. These barriers to economic autonomy and prosperity thus expose women and youth to economic insecurity and other vulnerabilities.

 

In response, we search for effective ways to empower individuals to be in control of their livelihoods. One such way we have done so is through the provision of hand-pushed carts to women’s groups in Tole, Buea in the Southwest Region of Cameroon. A large portion of all fresh produce is lost by women farmers after harvest due to decay and other transportation-related challenges. By providing farming women’s groups with these carts, we were able to help reduce post-harvest losses, thereby improving the food security and incomes of rural women. This project fits within the broader development agenda outlined in parts 1 and 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which are committed to eradicating poverty and hunger.

 

To learn more about our community development projects, browse our Community Development section and our Annual Reports

 

I’m not quite sure of what this section will look like, is it similar to the Young People section on the current website?

 

How we use a human rights approach in our work and our work in human rights education, human rights protection and promotion and Cameroon Human Rights Fellowship

 

okay thanks. will write it today