Cameroon’s upcoming election marks a ‘crucial opportunity’ to commit to human rights: UN rights chief

“Today, Cameroon faces many complex human rights challenges, but there are also many opportunities, especially given its extremely young population, with more than 40 percent of Cameroonians under the age of 15, as well as a vibrant civil society,” observed Mr. Türk at a press conference in Yaoundé.

According to Mr. Türk, the electoral process in Cameroon leading up to the 2025 and 2026 elections represents “an important opportunity to strengthen political inclusion and facilitate the participation of all sectors of society.”

The human rights chief added that this is also an opportunity to ensure people’s freedom of political expression.

Solving many challenges

Among the most difficult challenges leading up to the election, he cited three security crises occurring simultaneously in different parts of the country: the situation in the northwest and southwest regions characterized by persistent serious human rights violations and abuses; the impact of attacks carried out by Boko Haram and affiliated and dissident groups in the far north; and the aftermath of the crisis in the Central African Republic in the eastern region.

Located in a region heavily affected by the climate crisis, Cameroon has experienced drought, erratic rainfall and increasing desertification in the Lake Chad basin, causing tensions and violence, sometimes between pastoralist and farming communities.

Furthermore, Cameroon is in need of humanitarian assistance due to its large refugee population, according to Türk. As of June this year, there were about one million internally displaced people in the country. A total of 3.4 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, out of a total population of about 28 million.

“The international community must mobilize to ensure humanitarian needs are fully funded,” he said.

New call to investigate rights violations

Mr. Türk recalled that in the northwest and southwest regions, what started as peaceful protests in 2016 turned into a major crisis for civilians, with clashes between separatist groups, other armed groups and security forces, leaving thousands dead, hundreds of thousands displaced and more than 700,000 children deprived of their right to education.

“There continue to be reports of human rights violations and abuses, including killings, ill-treatment and torture, kidnapping for ransom, and restrictions on freedom of movement,” he stressed.

“The practice of separatist groups imposing multi-day blockades, preventing children from going to school and denying people access to their means of livelihood at the risk of being shot is unacceptable and must be strongly condemned,” he said, calling for independent, prompt and transparent investigations when state security forces are involved.

Freedom of speech

Acknowledging that the period immediately preceding an election is always particularly sensitive, the human rights chief called on political parties around the world to publicly commit to human rights, in particular by ensuring that freedom of expression and the right to peaceful association are protected.

“Civil society organizations and journalists must be able to monitor the situation and publish critical reports in the pre-election context, together with the Cameroon Human Rights Commission, including against hate speech and disinformation without intimidation or fear of reprisals,” he said.

“I look forward to continuing to count on Cameroon’s support in ensuring that universal human rights values ​​permeate regional and international discussions on peace, security and development as well as at the national level,” concluded Mr. Türk.