Cameroon adopted its first National Action Plan (NAP) in 2017 for the period 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 contributions from the public administrations, civil society organisations, and community leaders. The main data for identifying NAP priorities was compiled by WILPF Cameroon, which also played a crucial role in mobilising Women, Peace and Security (WPS) efforts across the country and developing the NAP. The framework of implementation of the NAP comprises three organs: the piloting and orientation committee; the national technical coordination of 1325; the regional, divisional and sub-divisional units. Each administration is responsible for activities involving its mandate. The NAP identifies four overarching objectives, including increasing women’s participation in conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction processes; protecting women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence in conflict; integrating a gender perspective in emergency aid; and strengthening institutional mechanisms and data collection procedures for gender considerations in peace and security issues. Each objective has corresponding actions, results, indicators, implementation partners, and an allocated budget outlined through an implementation matrix.
Cameroon gained independence from France in 1960, after an extensive period of colonial rule under the German, British, and French empires. In the current moment, Cameroon experiences political instability as a result of the spillover effects of conflicts in neighboring countries, internal attacks by Boko Haram, and uprisings across the English-speaking areas of the country. This instability has had a disproportionate impact on women and girls, specifically through the increase in gender-based violence as a result of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.