By Gerald Acho, Assistant Program Officer, Arigatou International Nairobi
Cameroon has been in conflict since September 2016, and for almost four years, there has been no clear solution to the Anglophone Crisis. During this time, close to 3000 civilians have died and 730000 more displaced. Women and girls have been the most affected. Many have been raped, their children and husbands killed. The COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected more than 2000 people in Cameroon, further worsens the precarious situation many women find themselves in. The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has argued that “gender equality and women’s rights are essential to getting through this pandemic together.” In response to the pandemic, UN Women has offered support to religious leaders, women, and youth groups. They have also offered training for Christian and Muslim leaders with an emphasis on the impact of COVID-19 on women’s economic empowerment and the rise of gender-based violence (GBV) relating to confinement. In the same light, UN Women has also provided materials to communities to help them in their response to COVID-19.
Unfortunately, however, efforts taken by Cameroon’s government in its COVID-19 response have been neither gender sensitive nor gender inclusive. Currently, the main concern is what Cameroon’s government can do to ensure that its COVID-19 response is more gender sensitive. COVID-19, if not properly handled, would reverse the small gains attained towards women’s empowerment in Cameroon.
The Role of the South West/North West Women Task Force (SNWOT)
SNWOT is a coalition of women leaders who aim to contribute as catalysts and agents of peace in the two troubled South West and North West Regions, which comprise the Anglophone Regions of Cameroon. SNWOT has consistently called for a ceasefire between separatist fighters and the government forces. After the UN called for a worldwide ceasefire during the period of COVID-19, SNWOT immediately supported the move by urging warring parties in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon to align themselves in solidarity with the international community in fighting this common enemy.
Since the first case of COVID-19 in the country, SNWOT has released two statements. In its first statement, the group lauded government and other stakeholders’ efforts in handling the pandemic. However, the group also noted that not enough is being done to support women, girls, and elderly who have been internally displaced because of the existing Anglophone crisis. The group recommended that the government come up with intervention plans that focus on addressing the needs of internally displaced women and girls who face unique hygiene challenges in over-crowded camps and bushes.
In their second statement, SNWOT noted that women and men have different health needs during periods like this. In addition, during national emergencies like the one presented by the pandemic, everyone must come together to form a united front. SNWOT noted that unfortunately there is disunity among the government agencies and other stakeholders who are at the forefront of dealing with the crisis. Such disunity further exacerbates the precarious situation of many women and girls and further exposes them to contracting the virus. The group called on the government to put more into its efforts to combat the pandemic as the number of cases in the country continues to grow.
On the 6th of March 2020, Cameroon recorded its first COVID-19 case and ever since, the government has taken measures to manage the spread of the virus. However, as previously mentioned, the government efforts have not been gender sensitive. It is imperative for the government to involve the voices and experiences of women and women-led initiatives in its COVID-19 response.
Local Women Initiatives vis-à-vis Government Efforts
The government must recognise that pandemics as well as conflicts affect both men and women differently, especially in patriarchal societies, including Cameroon. Since women, men, and youth play varying roles in Cameroon, women are more likely to be infected by the virus as they take care of the elderly, children, and sick members of their families. Most women also play the role of providing for their families. Since schools have been closed and people are encouraged to stay at home, there is tremendous pressure on these women to meet the needs of their families. Given these differing gender roles in society, it is important for the government to understand these nuances in order to create effective and equitable interventions that would meet the needs of the communities.
As the number of cases increases in Cameroon, women continue to help their local communities to break through these difficult and challenging times by providing vital services. Women are essential service providers working closely with their communities during such crises. In communities where people do not trust the government, women working in NGOs or operating local businesses play a crucial role in the dissemination of information. In 2015, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reported that “69% of women and 59% of men in Cameroon are farmers or working in the agriculture sector.” It is also reported that women contribute more than 70% in the agricultural sector, but their work is unrecognized as their efforts are mostly for subsistence rather than for commercial purposes. Government’s engagement with such businesswomen is critical as they are at the forefront of informal trade and “play a key role in the advocacy of safety measures in the community. In the words of Antonio Guterres, the governments must “put women and girls at the centre of their efforts to recover from COVID-19.”
The poor in Cameroon will eventually end up paying the highest price. Many do not trust information coming from the government and as such, there is a need to get women involved in COVID-19 response efforts so that they can provide community education and deliver services. While the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has provided support to Cameroon to the tune of US$ 226 million under the IMF Rapid Credit Facility (RCF),[1] it is important now more than ever to bring on board women-led groups like SNWOT to support government efforts in delivering services to the most affected segments of society including those in IDP camps.
Putting women at the centre of government COVID-19 response will help bridge social divides between the government and certain communities like the Anglophones where it is currently estimated that women account for 55% of workers in the informal sector. SNWOT is a well-trusted group that has a standing relationship with communities and has strong grassroot networks. Already there is excessive misinformation within communities about the pandemic, and this is exacerbated by the distrust of the government as a source. Trust in women-led initiatives in Cameroon would allow them to regularly update communities on the situation of COVID-19 and how to remain safe. Information provided by trusted sources is life-saving and would help reduce the spread of the disease within remote communities.
In conclusion, Cameroon only developed its National Action Plan for the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in 2017, which is 17 years after the resolution was adopted. COVID-19 can destroy the small amount of progress registered so far on the involvement of women in decision making and the achievement of gender equality. It is important for the government to recognize the unique experiences and perspectives that women-led initiatives have and utilize these vantage points in its COVID-19 response. Women in Cameroon can contribute to government efforts, but the government must create the space for them to work. It is important for the government of Cameroon to take urgent and necessary steps to protect women and girls and to support women networks in their efforts to extend support services to those communities in need.
______________________
[1] The Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) provides rapid concessional financial assistance with limited conditionality to low-income countries (LICs) facing an urgent balance of payments need. The RCF was created under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) as part of a broader reform to make the Fund’s financial support more flexible and better tailored to the diverse needs of LICs, including in times of crisis. The RCF places emphasis on the country’s poverty reduction and growth objectives. Financing under the RCF carries a zero-interest rate, has a grace period of 5½ years, and a final maturity of 10 years.