Human Rights Watch urges stronger action against gender-based violence in Cameroon

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised alarm over a recent wave of femicides in Cameroon, saying the killings highlight persistent gaps in protection and access to justice for women facing violence.

In a statement on Friday, the rights group, citing local sources, said seven women were killed between August 6 and 26. Some of the victims were allegedly killed by current or former partners, while some of the killings took place in the presence of their children.

The recent cases add to a growing number of femicides recorded by Cameroon’s Ministry for the Promotion of Women and the Family (MINPROFF) this year. The ministry reported 50 femicides in the first four months of 2026, with reported cases increasing by 37 per cent since 2023.

The official figures, the ministry added, may account for only a fraction of the cases, meaning the actual scale of femicides in the country could be significantly higher.

According to HRW, the latest killings point to a wider problem, with victims and survivors of domestic violence continuing to face inadequate protection and difficulties accessing justice in Cameroon.

Cameroon has previously pledged to strengthen its response to gender-based violence. In 2022, Yaoundé adopted a national strategy to combat the problem and a national gender policy aimed at strengthening protections for women and girls.

In June, Women’s Empowerment and the Family Minister Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa told parliament that her ministry was finalising a bill that would make gender-based violence a standalone criminal offence and strengthen legal protections for women.

Despite these measures, HRW said the continued killings show that women facing violence still lack adequate protection and face difficulties accessing justice.

“The government should urgently turn its talk into action,” said Juliana Nnoko, senior adviser and associate director of HRW’s Women’s Rights Division.

The rights group is calling for a coordinated government task force involving agencies responsible for women’s affairs, justice, defence, national security, territorial administration and finance to strengthen the response to gender-based violence.

“Cameroon should increase the number of domestic violence shelters across all regions and ensure that there is adequate staffing to accompany victims and survivors in accessing healthcare, support, and justice,” said Nnoko.

“The government should also examine and remove barriers women face in seeking protection orders, and arrest and prosecute perpetrators of violence. The Cameroon government has made a lot of promises to women. It’s time to keep them.”