61st African Women’s Day: CDHC commends the committed efforts of women to restore peace in the North-West and South-West Regions

Monday  31 July 2023 was African Women’s Day. Theme was: “Pooling wisdom and women’s potential on peace-building to accelerate the implementation of the African Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)”

The Commission commends the committed efforts of women to restore peace in the North-West and South-West Regions, including the peace march organised by women from the North-West in Yaoundé on 13 April 2023 and the North-West and South-West women’s march in Bamenda on 7 September 2018 to call for a return to peace.

The Commission deplores the inadequacy of national laws and regulations on trade to prevent and punish human rights violations, the displacement of communities, environmental damage, non-respect for workers’ rights, women’s rights, the rights of persons with disabilities and those of refugee women.

The Commission specifically recommends that the Government increase the role and contribution of women in peace-building and reconciliation operations in regions facing acute security challenges. The Commission specifically recommends that the Ministries responsible for trade and women’s empowerment place vulnerable groups and especially women at the heart of implementing the AfCFTA through the equitable distribution of benefits, respect for the principle of non-discrimination and the participation of this vulnerable group, which is often left by the wayside.

The Commission recommends that the Ministry of Trade (MINCOMMERCE), the Ministry of Decentralisation and Local Development (MINDDEVEL), local authorities and civil society actors assess the impact of trade measures on human rights. The Commission recommends that education ministries ensure that education policies and curriculum content do not exacerbate conflict or hate speech, but rather promote the return to and consolidation of peace. The Commission recommends that public authorities assess the capacity of women-led businesses to participate in regional value chains, improve their productivity and take advantage of the new export opportunities offered by the AFCFTA.

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