Peacebuilding In Cameroon : Crucial Role Of Civil Society Organisations

Every country in the world either has internal or external challenges that authorities are constantly mobilising resources to keep under control. The priority of most governments is usually maintaining peace and security for development to follow. In most cases, government alone cannot do everything, hence collaboration with different stakeholders, amongst them civil society organisations. Cameroon, for example, is confronted with some security challenges as is the case with the socio-political tensions in the North West and South West Regions, and the Boko Haram insurgencies in the Far North Region. 
In order to guarantee the peace building process, government gives the latitude for other partners to participate in the process, especially at the local levels. As a result, the participation of civil society organisations cannot be undermined, as they leave no stone unturned in supporting the government. Civil society organisations are indeed crucial in peace-building as they legitimise the processes and projects, mediate between the State and conflict groups, communicate with the international community, highlight the perspective and priorities of local communities, and implement tangible peace-building programmes. This perhaps justifies the presence of the members of civil society organisations in the Follow-up Committee for the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Major National Dialogue. 
Traditional and religious leaders who meet many people on a weekly basis thus take home the message on the programmes of the government and encourage their community to embrace it for peace and stability to reign. This is equally the case with the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction and Development of the North West and South West Regions. It was civil society organisations that carried out the survey (in collaboration with the government and the United Nations Development Programme) on the needs of the different communities as concerns the three main pillars of the plan. Again, civil society organisations are a technical partner to the National Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration Committee. They are being used as a bridge to dialogue with youths who are in possession of arms and are hiding in the bushes to heed to the peace call of the President of the ...