Women demand action as North West launches 'Stop Femicide' campaign

The North West Region on Friday launched a Stop Femicide campaign in Bamenda, bringing together women led organisations, public authorities, community representatives and residents in a solidarity march against the killing and abuse of women and girls.

Organised by with support from , the , , and relevant authorities, the march started from two points along the Commercial Avenue, City Chemist Roundabout and T Junction, before converging at the ceremonial Grand Stand.

The campaign comes amid growing concern over femicide, rape, domestic violence, infanticide and other forms of violence against women and children in Cameroon.

Addressing the event, Wirba Hassan, Regional Delegate for Women's Empowerment and the Family, said Cameroon recorded 50 femicides in 2023, 67 in 2024 and 77 in 2025. According to figures presented by the Minister of Women's Empowerment and the Family before the National Assembly in June 2026, another 50 femicides had already been recorded between January and April 2026.

During the same four month period, authorities recorded 1,599 cases of violence, including 166 rapes, 13 infanticides and three cases of physical abuse of children.

For the North West, the delegate said his delegation recorded 249 reported GBV cases in 2024, while MINSANTE health facility data recorded 627 cases of rape and intimate partner violence.

The delegate warned, however, that reported figures do not capture the full scale of the problem because fear, stigma, family pressure and fear of reprisals often prevent victims from reporting violence.

He then called for collective responsibility in preventing violence and protecting women, girls and children.

Representing the Bamenda City Mayor, Madame Julie Chambi expressed the council's disappointment over the increasing cases of femicide and reaffirmed its commitment to peace and efforts to end the killing of women.

Matilda, representing grassroots women, urged women not to remain silent when confronted with violence, while the leadership of the Responsible Bike Riders Association condemned violence and called on members of the community to contribute to protecting lives.

"Bike riders are builders of peace in our communities. Let our voices be louder than our engines. Let us ride together for a future where women are safe, valued, and free. No to femicide. Protect our women. Respect women. Respect life." the representative of bike riders said

For the women led organisations behind the campaign, however, condemnation alone is no longer sufficient.

Laison Sylvie, Executive Director of Hope Alive Association Cameroon, said the organisations had come together to send a stronger message to policymakers following the recent increase in killings.

"We were just amplifying our voices to say that something really needs to be done, and it needs to be done fast, so that we don't lose more lives for whatever reason," she said.

Sylvie also rejected the idea that gender based violence should be treated exclusively as a women's issue, noting that men can also be victims.

"When we talk GBV, it's not just about women, but it's about women and men," she said.

Florence Munteh of AP-WORP said the organisation joined the march because it works directly with women and .

"We cannot continue to wait until a woman is killed before we express outrage," she said.

She called for greater attention to warning signs, survivor protection and timely institutional intervention.

"A woman should not have to die for us to take her safety seriously," she added.

Fenwi Linda of CAEPA said women should not die in silence and called for practical measures to punish perpetrators.

"Women are builders and communities suffer when they are harmed," she said.

Clotilda Andiensa, CEO of CAGEAD, said the repeated cases of femicide demonstrated that violence against women was a human rights and public concern, not merely a private family matter.

"Women’s lives matter, and femicide must stop," she said.

Ekoume Ndema Irene, Regional Coordinator of CAMNAFAW, described the march as both a social responsibility and a platform to break the silence surrounding femicide.

"There is no justification to femicide. Every life matters and should not be wasted," she said, adding that dialogue was preferable to killing.

The campaign's demands were formally presented to government through a memorandum read by Awondo Judith, Coordinator of Women's Action Cameroon, WaCameroon on behalf of the .

The memorandum called for stronger prevention, reporting, protection, investigation and justice mechanisms, while urging families and communities to stop concealing violence and instead help protect victims and identify perpetrators.

The Governor of the North West Region, represented by Marceliout Djunang, Head of the Economic, Social and Cultural Affairs Division at the Governor's Office, closed the ceremony.