The project was aimed at identifying children victims and potential victims in 2 administrative divisions of Boyo and Mezam within the Archdiocese of Bamenda and prepare them for rehabilitation. Outcomes: 11 children victims were identified in Fingie in Tubah Sub-Division of Mezam Division and 20 in Mbessa, Belo Sub-Division of Boyo Division.

STATUS: (Completed) Sponsored by the Catholic Relief Services CRS- Cameroon Programme in 2006 – 2007.

The Cameroon Civil Society Working Group on Governance and Accountability met on October 4th 2012 and agreed to submit the four policy recommendations below to its counterpart working group in Washington.  The group deeply appreciated the opportunity to contribute, and suggested that American policy regarding governance and accountability should:

•     Focus program assistance on institutional partnering to support greater trust and confidence-building between civil society organizations and governments through joint activities or similar funding innovations;
•     Promote Information Communications Technology to encourage transparency, inclusion and information access/exchange among the private sector, government (FOIA), and civil society across the entire policy process from drafting legislation to program implementation;
•     Monitor the operating environment for civil society via annual country reports with criteria for civil society space such as enabling legislation/regulations, transparent guidelines defining the meaningful representation and participation of civil society, and the protection of civil society activists; and
•     Enhance the global standing of Civil Society as an active strategic development partner with a mechanism for sustainability of conducive environments of Civil Society activities at the world, regional and local level.  

 The Working Group decided to convene at least quarterly with the next meeting planned for early January.  The members also look forward to the web chat on governance and accountability planned for November.  As noted in the vision  paper, with many thematic civil society groups already operating in Cameroon, the Cameroon Governance and Accountability Working Group will serve as an umbrella group as a reflection of the cross-cutting nature of the issues.

Civil Society Working Group Participants:

• Abdoulaye Abdoulrazak         National Youth Council
• Gilbert Ewehmeh                     Youth Employment Service Cameroon
• Gilles Lewat                             Youth Business Cameroon
• Marie Tamoifo                        Jeunesse Verte du Cameroon
• Fidele Djebba                          Rayons de Soleil (Women & Girls)
• Friede Rolande Aban             Un Monde Avenir (Democracy)
• Maximilienne Ngo Mbe          REDHAC (Human Rights)
• Omar Mbadi Otabela               Budget Information Center
• Thompson Fangwa Sama       Transparency International/Cameroon
• Louis Merlin Tsamo                TAW/Positive Generation (Health)
• Ofir Drori                                   Last Great Ape Assoc. (LAGA) (Environment)
• Laura Anyola Tufon               Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace
• Esther Omam                           Reachout (Health/Community Development)
• Maxine Moffett                       BridgeAfrika (Social Media)