Civilian protection and the Right to Security
Despite ongoing national and international efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Anglophone conflict, it has been six (06) years and the situation is still business as usual. All major players have persisted in holding radical views, and endless efforts to end the Anglophone Crisis peacefully. A situation of instability, a collapse of the rule of law, and a lack of civilian protection continue to radicalize and inspire numerous Anglophone youngsters and communities.
The Cameroonian government prioritizes military solutions over civilian security, leading to human rights abuses.
With few safe venues for civil society advocacy on civic protection and the unalienable and fundamental right to security, the rule of law and civilian protection are badly disregarded. The Anglophone regions have documented five years of inadequate instruction in neighborhood community schools, including student killings in Ekondo Titi schools and student shootings in the North West and South West regions. The frequency of kidnappings for ransom has created a climate of fear that has impeded village agricultural work and other economic endeavors, resulting in increased unemployment and poverty and greater radicalization of communities. The majority of victims of harassment, rape, beheading, and threats have been females. Girls make up the majority of the dead pupils. highlighting the importance of girls' security and safety, as mentioned in OSF Strategy's Part 2.3 on "The Security and Safety of Women and Girls in Conflict Areas" on page 19.2021.
Young people, little girls, traditional leaders, lawmakers, civil servants, lawyers, and instructors all experience a sense of uneasiness. Over a thousand children, girls, and youths are living in the bushes in addition to thousands of internally displaced people.
Advocacy doors have been closed, so in accordance with Section E-1, Page 15 on Expression and Participation captures the need to amplify people's voices, challenge and disrupt the exercise of unchecked power, and hold public and private bodies accountable.
- MDDT provides various servicesMDDT Cameroon is mobilizing youths, HRDs and Civil Society to advocate for civilian protection and reduce insecurity in the Anglophone Regions of Cameroon.
- MDDT is identifying ]10 hotspots in the SW and NW Regions.
- MDDT is developing a toolkit on guaranteeing the right to security and civilian protection, training the aforementioned persons on strategic advocacy on the right to security and civilian protection. MDDT is responsible in educating parents, school administrators, and communities on security precautions.
In order to increase advocacy in hotspots, MDDT will be hosting cultural peace rallies where communities will be informed about their legal rights to security and civilian protection. To help shape policy, MDDT will be hosting two (02) roundtable discussions on the right to safety and civilian protection with lawmakers and law enforcement officials, and parliamentary representatives over the right to security and civil defense in the NW and SW areas. The group will also be publishing three quarterly publications on the right to security and civil protection, which will be sent to governmental officials, lawmakers, stakeholders, and foreign missions.
Once more, MDDT will be gathering specialists and planning debates on the right to security and civilian protection on public TV and radio to educate the media. The MDDT will be making the most of its digital platforms and creating posters, hashtags, and sensitization messaging for a social media outreach program aimed at the diaspora population, which has been a significant motivator of violent behavior.
In a nutshell, MDDT capitalizes on safe spaces to open advocacy avenues to change mindsets and motivate actions to protect youth and girls, reduce kidnapping, abduction, and killing of civilians in the Anglophone Regions, reduce victimization, and open up safe spaces for CSO, HRDs, and Community leaders to amplify advocacy. This project is in line with part 2.2 of the OSF Strategy, which discusses the need to support a narrative change around insecurity and terrorism and strategic measures to safeguard security rights and measures in a bit to foster civilian protection.