PREPARATORY TRAINING FOR THE INDIGENOUS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME

Work Session between the Cameroon Human Rights Commission (CHRC) And the United Nations Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa (UNCHRD-CA).

A team from the United Nations Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa (UNCHRD-CA) was received in audience on Tuesday, 13 August 2024 by Mrs Bouba Hawe Hamman, Commissioner, on behalf of the Chairperson of the Cameroon Human Rights Commission (CHRC). The UNCHRD-CA team was comprised of Ms Catherine Tshefu, Unit Head for Equality and Non-Discrimination, Mr Morse Caoagas Flores, Coordinator of the Indigenous Fellowship Programme within the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Ahmed Njoya, Human Rights Assistant, and Mr Emmanuel Nengo, Senior Researcher on Indigenous Peoples Issues. Commissioner Bouba Hawe Hamman, member of the Sub-Commission on Human Rights promotion, and representative of indigenous peoples among the CHRC commissioners, was assisted by Mr Mamouda Férikouop, Chief of Staff at the Chairperson’s Office, as well as Ms Mabel Shu Nyamboli, Acting Chief of the Cooperation, Documentation and Research Service.

During the work session which lasted about 45 minutes, Commissioner BOUBA presented to her guests, the main activities of the CHRC in connection with the promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous populations in Cameroon, including the translation of international human rights instruments into 11 Cameroonian local languages. After this brief presentation, she welcomed the opportunity granted by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to the indigenous peoples of the sub-region in general, and those of Cameroon in particular, to benefit from quality human rights training.

The head of the UNCHRD-CA delegation presented the context of the preparatory training of the Indigenous Fellowship Programme and the rationale behind the choice of Cameroon to host this training, before requesting the technical support of the CHRC in the preparation and conduct of the aforementioned training. Commissioner BOUBA assured her guests that the CHRC would offer its technical support, as required.

Mr Morse Flores expressed his satisfaction that the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC) had been chosen as the academic partner for the new preparatory training of the French-speaking Indigenous Scholarship Programme. It should be noted that the Indigenous Fellowship Programme was originally planned to accommodate 10 indigenous participants from French-speaking countries worldwide.

However, the UNCHRD-CA conveyed that the Indigenous Fellowship Programme could be extended to 25 beneficiaries, to enable greater participation of indigenous representatives from the Central African sub-region in general and from Cameroon in particular.

For the record, the first edition of this preparatory training is scheduled from 2 to 13 June 2025 on the IRIC campus in Yaoundé.

Individuals keen on participating in the Pogramme can apply at : https://www.ohchr.org/fr/about-us/fellowship-programmes/indigenous-fellowship-programme/call-applications-ohchr-indigenous-fellowship-program-2024.