Great steps towards adopting a UNSCR 1325 NAP in Cameroon

WILPF Cameroon and the government of Cameroon are making steps towards the creation of their first National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325. 

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Great steps towards adopting a UNSCR 1325 National Action Plan (NAP) in Cameroon

The Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family sent a call for submission of applications for the recruitment of two individual consultants to support the Ministry in developing the UNSCR National Action Plan for Cameroon.

The call for submission was opened on 21 July 2016 when Cameroon is no longer the Then Island of Peace as the country is facing many security challenges due to armed conflicts in neighboring countries and terrorist attacks. Considering the country’s vision which places peace at the center of its action, Cameroon is committed to develop a NAP to promote women’s participation in conflict prevention processes and peacebuilding.

The consultant’s mission is to prepare a document on full and equal participation of women, on gender mainstreaming in peace and security initiatives and the full implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325 and related resolutions.

To reach to this level, the civil society, under the leadership of WILPF Cameroon, has conducted several awareness raising workshops, lobbying and advocacy activities. The launch of the popularization process of Resolution 1325 took place during the high-level workshop on the participation of women in conflict prevention in October 2014.

In December 2014, WILPF Cameroon also conducted a study in the East region with the support of Peace Women to assess the level of knowledge the Resolution. Then followed many other consultations and awareness workshops on 1325 with various stakeholders including media for greater impact. In November 2015, WILPF Cameroon hosted WILPF Africa’s Regional Conference on the participation of women in conflict prevention and crisis management, followed immediately by a series of advocacy visits to some institutions, including a meeting with the Minister of Women's Empowerment and the Family.

We welcome the Ministry’s call for submission of applications with great joy and are delighted to know that Cameroon will soon have its SCR 1325 NAP.