The launch of the North West Regional Women Mediators Network at the North West Women Mediators Summit 2026 has been described as a major step toward strengthening grassroots peacebuilding and amplifying the voices of women working to prevent and resolve conflicts in their communities.
Among participants at the summit was Kuwung Luzette, a peacebuilder and representative of the Youth Empowerment and Resilience Network (YEARN), who said the gathering provided a rare opportunity for women leaders, mediators and development actors to exchange experiences and build stronger partnerships for peace.
Speaking to Hilltopvoices after the two-day summit organised by Mother of Hope Cameroon (MOHCAM), Luzette said her decision to participate was driven by the need to strengthen collaboration among actors working on peacebuilding and community resilience in the North West Region.
"As a civil society actor and peacebuilder working in the North West Region, I considered it important to participate because the summit provided a unique platform for learning, networking and strengthening the role of women in peacebuilding processes," she said.
She noted that through YEARN, the organisation works closely with women, young people, survivors of violence and conflict-affected communities, making the summit particularly relevant to its mission.
According to her, the event brought together women from diverse backgrounds, including civil society organisations, traditional institutions, government representatives and community leaders, creating an inclusive environment for dialogue on peace and governance.
"The summit was timely, relevant and impactful... The discussions highlighted the critical role women continue to play in mediation, conflict prevention and peacebuilding despite the challenges they face." Kuwung Luzette said.
She said one of the most encouraging aspects of the summit was the openness demonstrated by traditional authorities during discussions on women's participation in community governance.
"I was particularly impressed by the practical nature of the discussions, the sharing of experiences from different communities and the emphasis on strengthening women's leadership and participation in decision-making processes," she said adding that "I was also impressed by the openness of traditional authorities to the inclusive and meaningful participation of women in local governance structures."
The summit culminated in the official launch of the North West Regional Women Mediators Network, an initiative intended to bring together women peacebuilders under a common platform for collaboration, advocacy and knowledge sharing.
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According to Kuwung, the creation of the network represents a turning point for women mediators whose work has often remained invisible despite its impact at community level.
"For a long time, many women mediators have been working within their communities, often with limited visibility and coordination," she noted adding that "This network provides an opportunity to bring these efforts together under a common platform."
She believes the network can strengthen collaboration among peace actors while creating space for mentorship, collective advocacy and greater recognition of grassroots women mediators.
"It has the potential to amplify the voices of grassroots women who are often the first responders to community conflicts but are rarely represented at higher decision-making levels," she observed.
While welcoming the initiative, Luzette stressed that its success would depend on sustained engagement and support.
"For the network to succeed, it will be important to ensure active participation from women across all divisions, continuous capacity building, and sustained support from partners and stakeholders," she said.
Looking ahead, she expressed hope that the momentum generated by the summit would translate into practical action and measurable impact within communities.
"My expectation is that the momentum generated during the summit will translate into concrete actions and measurable impact at community, regional and national levels," she said.
She called for continued investment in training, mentorship and policy engagement to ensure women mediators are better equipped to contribute to peace processes.
"The way forward should focus on strengthening the capacities of women mediators, expanding the network's reach to grassroots communities, promoting mentorship among experienced and emerging mediators, and advocating for greater inclusion of women in formal and informal peace processes," she added.
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Luzette also highlighted the work of the Youth Empowerment and Resilience Network (YEARN), describing it as a community-based organisation committed to empowering young people, women and vulnerable populations through peacebuilding, education, livelihoods and community development initiatives.
She said the organisation works with conflict-affected communities, women and girls, survivors of gender-based violence and vulnerable children through programmes that promote social cohesion, gender equality and resilience.
Among its interventions are vocational skills training, livelihood support, digital literacy and robotics education for young people, awareness campaigns on peace and protection issues, and initiatives that encourage youth participation in community development.
"As an organisation, we believe that sustainable peace and development can only be achieved when women and young people are empowered to participate meaningfully in shaping the future of their communities," she said.
Her remarks like others echoed the fact that women are already playing critical roles in peacebuilding across the North West Region, and that the challenge now is to ensure their contributions are recognised, supported and integrated into formal peace and governance structures.
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