By Mokum Thomas
A two day
workshop on the theme strengthening capacity in support of peaceful electoral
processes and social cohesion in Cameroon organised by the United Nations
Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation UNESCO in partnership with
some local civil society organisations has ended in Bamenda.
According to
the organisers, the June 11-12 workshop was inspired by the armed conflict on
going in the Northwest and Southwest regions which has seen youths and women
highly affected mindful of the fact that many of the youths either acting as
separatist fighters or military officers have lost their lives and for women
their husbands, children and family relations as a result of the conflict.
According to
one of the facilitators “Cameroon has experienced political and economic
stability for decades and continue to play a key role in central Africa's
regional integration” however over the last five years, “the Impacts of the
crises have started to affect Cameroon’s peace that is boko haram in the far
North region, the central African crisis affecting the East region and more
recently the situation in the country's north west and south west regions”
The project
focuses on women and youth involvement in national and local peace building and
prevention of electoral violence, broader participation of women as political
actors at national and local levels. The project also pays attention to
promoting peace and social cohesion by mobilizing communities to support a
culture of dialogue and by strengthening the capacity of national and local
level institution to fully integrate women’s right and gender principal for
inclusive elections and sustained conflict prevention in Cameroon over the
electoral cycle.
Through
Drama and poems, it is expected that the project will ensure women and youth
groups are able to engage in local level decision making structures to promote
peace initiative at local and community level to enhance understanding and
engagement in prevention and peaceful resolution of conflict related to
electoral tension