Paper short abstract:

This paper amplifies the pockets of peace actions led by women peace activists and leaders in the northwest and southwest regions of Cameroon. And highlights the strategies used in building peace movements across the country.

Paper long abstract:

Women’s peace activism and movement building in Cameroon can be traced back during the colonial era and within the 90s where there was mass organizing of female militants like the Takembeng, Anlu and Titi Koli in fostering social justice. They organized through public demonstrations, nude activism, and social protests. Today, with the advent of new media and technology, pockets of peace actions by women’s activists can be seen across the nation, from the Far North regions down to the Center Region and the Coastal fields of the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon. Of these actions, some of the most significant accomplishments have been the organizing of the first National Women’s Convention for Peace, which brought together over 1500 women and girls from all walks of life across the national territory to dialogue for peace. Follow-up has been the localization of the convention's outcomes in line with the Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

This paper is a snapshot to the broader reflections on women’s activism on peace movements in Cameroon, with a particular focus on women’s activism across the northwest and southwest regions. It’s an ethno-sociological study, which employs a triangulated methodological approach that is participatory and interactive and grounded in social movement perspectives.