Women mediators converge in Bamenda to turn grassroots peace efforts into regional action

As communities across the North West Region continue to grapple with the social and human consequences of years of conflict, one of the realities which remains difficult to ignore is that women have often been at the forefront of local peace efforts, yet their contributions remain largely informal, under-recognised, and insufficiently integrated into formal peacebuilding structures.

Adah Atoh Muyang, Executive Director of MOHCAM and the summit promotional flyer 

It is this gap that the North West Women Mediators' Summit 2026 seeks to address when hundreds of women peace actors, community leaders, development practitioners, traditional authorities, policymakers and international experts gather in Bamenda from June 4 to 5.

Organised by Mother of Hope Cameroon (MOHCAM), the summit will take place under the theme: "Women's leadership in peacebuilding: formalizing the voices and roles of women mediators for inclusive peace processes in the North West Region."

The summit comes at a time when local communities are increasingly calling for inclusive approaches to peacebuilding that draw from the experiences and capacities of grassroots actors who have sustained dialogue, reconciliation and social cohesion amid prolonged instability.

According to MOHCAM Executive Director, Adah Atoh Muyang, connecting local peace initiatives with broader policy frameworks remains essential to building sustainable peace.

"Building stronger bridges between local peace initiatives and global policy frameworks is essential to ensuring that every voice is heard, valued, and included in shaping lasting peace," she says.

For many women across the region, mediation is not a new responsibility. In communities affected by conflict, women have often acted as negotiators within families, facilitators of community dialogue, advocates for victims of violence and champions of reconciliation. Yet their efforts frequently occur outside official peace mechanisms.

Adah Atoh Muyang believes this reality must change.

"Through my grassroots work, I have witnessed that women are far more than survivors of conflict; they are powerful architects of change, courageous mediators, and the heartbeat of sustainable peacebuilding processes," she notes.

The summit is expected to move beyond recognising women's contributions towards establishing concrete mechanisms that strengthen their participation in peace processes. One of the major highlights will be the launch of a Women Mediators Network aimed at creating a structured platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and coordinated action among women peacebuilders across the North West Region.

Participants will also engage in high-level discussions examining how international commitments such as United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and Cameroon’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security can be translated into practical actions at community level.

A key panel themed "From commitment to action: localizing UNSCR 1325 and the national action plan to advance women's inclusion in peace processes" will bring together experts including Dr Sakah Bernard of Swiss Peace, Florence Munteh of the North West Regional Women's Convention for Peace, Norman Taku of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Emmanuel Ajonga of UN Women, and Gillian Tamambang of the North West Regional Delegation of MINPROFF. 

The summit will further provide a platform for regional voices through discussions involving women mediators, civil society leaders, legal experts, traditional authorities and peace practitioners from across the seven divisions of the North West Region.

Participants are expected to benefit from the expertise of renowned national and international facilitators including Lantana Bako Abdullahi, Representative of Women Mediators Across the Commonwealth and a respected peacebuilder from Nigeria; Dr Sally Mboumien, Executive Director of Common Action for Gender Development (COMAGEND); and Justice Patience Gana, Judge and Magistrate of the High Court and Court of First Instance, Ngoketunjia.

Beyond dialogue, organisers hope the summit will contribute to building a stronger and more visible network of women mediators capable of influencing policy, preventing conflict, responding to gender-based violence and promoting social cohesion at community and regional levels.

By bringing together women mediators from Bui, Boyo, Donga-Mantung, Menchum, Mezam, Momo and Ngoketunjia divisions, the gathering is expected to strengthen collaboration across communities and create new pathways for women's leadership in peacebuilding.

As the North West Region continues its search for sustainable peace, organisers believe the summit represents an opportunity to move from acknowledgement to action, ensuring that women are not merely consulted in peace processes but recognised as indispensable partners in shaping the region's future.

By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Web 

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