Femicide in Cameroon is rising at an alarming rate, and HEDECS and The Women4Gender Taskforce are joining their voices to demand change. Alongside the Women4Gender Taskforce, HEDECS is calling for stronger legal accountability, urgent policy reform, and justice for the women and girls whose lives have been lost to gender-based violence. From under-reported statistics to gaps in the Penal Code, this is a growing crisis that can no longer be met with silence, and HEDECS is standing firmly on the front lines of the fight to STOP FEMICIDE!
As femicide cases continue to rise across Cameroon, HEDECS and The Women4Gender Taskforce have formally joined their voices to the growing national outcry against gender-based violence (GBV) and the killing of women and girls. In a powerful show of solidarity, HEDECS took to the streets of Mankon Bamenda for a sensitization march and street campaign aimed at demanding urgent action, stronger law enforcement, and greater protection for women and girls across the country.
A March Through the Heart of Bamenda
HEDECS joined forces with the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family (MINPROFF) and Women-Led Organizations (WLO) of the North West Region for a sensitization march that wound through the heart of Mankon Bamenda starting from City Chemist Junction and T-Junction, and proceeding to Grand Stand Commercial Avenue.
The march brought together civil society actors, women’s rights defenders, and community members, all marching under one banner and one conviction: protecting women is everyone’s responsibility. Chants, placards, and a united front of advocates sent a clear message to the public and to policymakers alike, femicide in Cameroon can no longer be ignored, minimized, or met with silence. Follow the link to our Facebook post to see photos and highlights from the march.
Our Continued Advocacy with the Women4Gender Taskforce
This street campaign is not a one-off event, it is part of HEDECS’ continued, sustained advocacy alongside the Women4Gender Taskforce, a coalition working to promote, protect, and secure access to justice for survivors and victims of gender-based violence in Cameroon.
Together with the Taskforce, HEDECS is calling for action across five key pillars, aligned with Cameroon’s National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 (Women, Peace and Security):
- Promotion – stepping up education, dissemination, and sensitization so that information reaches every stakeholder and the “culture of silence” around GBV is broken.
- Prevention – addressing the root causes of gender-based violence before it escalates.
- Protection – ensuring women and girls have access to safe, responsive protection mechanisms.
- Participation – including women at every level of decision-making and response.
- Recovery – supporting survivors and affected families through healing and reintegration.Read full article of HEDECS-femicide-cameroon-call-to-action-2026.pdf here and read the French version here: APPEL EN ACTION FEMINICIDE AU CAMEROUN
HEDECS is also calling on the Cameroonian government to:
- Declare rape and femicide a national emergency.
- Strengthen accountability mechanisms for GBV and femicide cases.
- Improve legal frameworks and support strategic litigation that can set precedent and drive policy change.
- Create expedited judicial procedures for the investigation and hearing of GBV and femicide cases.
- Deepen coordination and partnerships between the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, other ministries, civil society, and international partners.
Why This Advocacy Matters Now
Femicide, the intentional killing of women and girls on account of their gender is on a documented rise in Cameroon. According to recent data compiled by HEDECS and the Women4Gender Taskforce, reported cases have grown sharply over the past few years:
- 2023: 50 reported cases
- 2024: 67 reported cases
- 2025: 77 reported cases
- January 2026 (to date): 66 reported cases – including 8 cases reported within a single week
These figures, drawn largely from social media reporting, likely represent only a fraction of the true scale of the problem, since GBV and femicide remain significantly under-reported and are not yet systematically documented in Cameroon.
Currently, Cameroon has no standalone legal article specifically addressing femicide. Cases are prosecuted under the general provisions of the Penal Code – Section 275 (Murder), punishable by life imprisonment, and Section 276 (Capital Murder), which covers premeditated killing, poisoning, and killings linked to organ trafficking or the commission of another crime, and is punishable by death. HEDECS and its partners argue that this legal gap must be closed with a dedicated framework that names, defines, and specifically addresses femicide.
Our Stance Is Louder and Stronger
As part of our continued advocacy, HEDECS Cameroon together with the Women4Gender Taskforce is making our stance louder and stronger with every action we take. The Mankon Bamenda march was a powerful reminder that when communities, civil society, and government institutions unite, real change becomes possible.
We will not stop until femicide is recognized as the national emergency it is, until survivors and families have real access to justice, and until every woman and girl in Cameroon can live free from the fear of gender-based violence.
Join the Movement
Femicide is preventable. Silence protects perpetrators, not victims. Join HEDECS Cameroon and the Women4Gender Taskforce in demanding justice, accountability, and protection for every woman and girl in Cameroon.
