As discussions continue at the North West Women Mediators Summit 2026 in Bamenda, the gathering is serving not only as a platform for dialogue on women's inclusion in peace processes but also as a reflection of years of investment by Mother of Hope Cameroon (MOHCAM) in building a network of women peacebuilders across the North West Region.
The summit, held under the theme "women's leadership in peacebuilding: formalizing the voices and roles of women mediators for inclusive peace processes," represents the culmination of a three-year effort by MOHCAM to move women from the margins of conflict response to the centre of peacebuilding and mediation.
For many of the women in Bamenda, the summit is not their first encounter with mediation work. Rather, it is the latest chapter in a journey that began in villages, neighbourhoods and communities across the region through MOHCAM's Women Mediation Project.
Supported by the Open Society Foundation, the initiative was launched in 2024 with a clear objective: of strengthening women's capacity and participation in peacebuilding and conflict resolution throughout the North West Region, an area that continues to grapple with the consequences of the ongoing Anglophone crisis.
The project adopted a deliberate bottom-up approach, recognising that many women were already resolving disputes, reconciling families and fostering dialogue within their communities long before they were formally recognised as mediators.
Instead of creating a peacebuilding structure from above, MOHCAM chose to build from within communities.
A baseline survey involving 517 key informants across all 34 subdivisions helped identify existing realities and opportunities. Community engagement activities subsequently brought together traditional authorities, local leaders and residents, while sensitisation campaigns reached more than 6,900 people.
The first phase of the project focused on developing grassroots mediation capacity.
Seventy-one women from the region's seven divisions received specialised training in Track Three mediation, equipping them with skills to address conflicts at family and community levels. Their training was later reinforced through refresher sessions that incorporated traditional conflict resolution mechanisms such as Nkeng, Ntu-zah and Nga-fifi.
The impact quickly became visible.
More than 260 family, group and community disputes were reportedly handled through mediation interventions led by women trained under the project.
Those early investments were evident during the first day of the summit when women mediators took the stage to share testimonies of conflicts they had helped resolve within their communities.
From family disagreements and neighbourhood disputes to broader community tensions, their stories illustrated how mediation skills acquired through the project have translated into practical peacebuilding outcomes.
The summit's emphasis on formalising women's roles in peace processes reflects the next stage of MOHCAM's strategy.
Having strengthened grassroots mediation, the organisation shifted its focus in 2026 towards institutional integration and Track Two mediation, which seeks to connect community peace actors with government institutions, councils, faith-based organisations and civil society structures.
This transition is visible throughout the summit programme.
The discussions on localising United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, strengthening women's participation in decision-making and building partnerships among peace actors mirror the objectives pursued under the project's second phase.
Through interface meetings, collaborative workshops and specialised training, MOHCAM has brought together grassroots mediators and institutional stakeholders across the seven divisions of the region.
The initiative has trained peace monitors drawn from government ministries, councils, faith-based organisations and women's groups, while facilitating the development of divisional action plans designed to strengthen collaboration on peacebuilding.
According to project records, Over 100 mediation cases were handled during this institutionalisation phase, with 98 successfully resolved, representing an 87.5 per cent success rate.
For summit participants, such outcomes provide evidence that women mediators are not simply advocates for peace but practitioners delivering tangible results on the ground.
The summit itself demonstrates how far the initiative has evolved.
What began as community-level mediation training has developed into a regional platform bringing together women mediators, traditional rulers, government representatives, international organisations, faith leaders and civil society actors to discuss the future of peacebuilding in the North West Region.
Beyond mediation, the summit also reflects MOHCAM's broader philosophy that peace cannot be separated from social justice, economic empowerment and human development.
Over the years, the organisation has implemented programmes addressing education, menstrual health, gender-based violence, human rights, livelihoods and support for conflict-affected populations.
Its interventions have included scholarships for girls, psychosocial support for women and internally displaced persons, anti-child marriage campaigns, leadership training and community development initiatives.
These efforts are anchored in MOHCAM's mission of building a violence-free world for women and young people while promoting a culture of peace and justice.
As delegates deliberate on the second day of the summit, the gathering now represents the visible outcome of years of work invested in identifying, training, supporting and connecting women who have quietly served as peacebuilders within their communities.
The women sharing experiences, participating in panel discussions and helping shape recommendations at the summit are, in many respects, the human face of MOHCAM's mediation project.
Their presence emphasis a central message emerging from the gathering which indicates that women are already building peace across the North West Region. The challenge now is ensuring that the structures, policies and institutions responsible for shaping the region's future recognise, support and include them.
In that sense, the North West Women Mediators Summit organised by MOHCAM is the latest expression of a long-term effort to transform grassroots peacebuilders into recognised actors within the region's evolving peace architecture.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Web
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