Uprooting Femicide Root Causes: National Dialogue On Family Stability, Reforms, Launched

Facing a distressing surge in domestic violence and femicides across the nation, civil society actors, traditional rulers, legal experts, and state institutions gathered in Yaounde on October 2, 2026. During which they officially launched the national initiative titled, "Ending Femicide and Rebuilding a Family and Cameroonian Identity: An Inclusive Dialogue."

Structured Femicide Prevention

Organized by the Coffee, Think, Talk and Act, CTT-A initiative under the umbrella of Africa Lobby and the “Give Back to Mama Movement,” the public information launch convened multi-sectoral leaders to move national debate beyond reactive outrage toward structural prevention, survivor protection, and institutional accountability.

Systemic Societal Fractures

Opening the dialogue, Mr. Nfinyo T. Mabu, Founder/President of Africa Lobby and Coordinator of CTT-A, emphasized that resolving the crisis requires confronting systemic societal fractures rather than viewing violence in isolation.

"We gather today, not merely to discuss femicide, but to confront a painful question: What is happening to our families, our values, our relationships, and our identity that allows violence against women to reach such devastating proportions?" Mabu asked. Stressing that men constitute the majority of perpetrators, he noted that the initiative intentionally brings men into the heart of the solution.

Understand, Prevent, Transform

"This is not a dialogue against men. It is a dialogue with men, with women, and with society as a whole... Our objective is not to assign collective blame, but to understand, prevent, transform, and ultimately save lives," Nfinyo Mabu stated.

Breakdown Of Traditional Values

Delivering the inaugural address, His Majesty Prof. Guy Tsala Ndzomo, President of the National Council of Traditional Chiefs of Cameroon, CNCTC, contextualized the rise in femicides as part of a deeper moral and social decline. Pointing to the breakdown of traditional communal values, he noted that addressing violence against women requires a holistic examination of how families and communities function today.

Protective Community Structures

"The problem of femicide in our country goes beyond the remit of a single ministry. It is a societal problem," HM Prof. Tsala Ndzomo stated. He called on all segments of society - including traditional custodians - to evaluate the root causes behind escalating violence. And assist in re-establishing protective community structures.

Role Of Local Governments  

The institutional role of local government in curbing Gender-Based Violence, GBV was underscored by Mr. Tanyitiku Enochachuo Bayee, Director General of the National School of Local Administration, NASLA, Buea. Highlighting that frontline response begins in local councils, Bayee outlined NASLA's efforts to integrate gender modules and early-warning GBV identification into its training curricula for regional and municipal authorities.

Addressing It Squarely

"If we wanted to address this issue, we have to address it squarely," Bayee asserted. "Our pledge and engagement is that when we have done all the conceptualizing, and get to the phase where we have to implement this, we should have a ready vehicle... If in the next three to five years we see a significant drop in this form of violence, it should be because what we did here today cascaded down to where it was most needed," Mr. Tanyitiku added.

Diaspora Also Affected

Representing the Cameroonian diaspora, Mr. Samuel Ervé Mandeng, Founder/President of “Give Back To Mama,” highlighted the international dimension of the crisis. Noting that family identity strains and domestic violence severely impact diaspora communities abroad a...