Cameroon Human Rights Commissioners call for more promotion on Commission roles and activities

Newly appointed Commissioners of the National Commission for Human Rights and Freedoms (NCHRF) have agreed that there is still much needed campaign on the existence of the NCHRF and that the public must be properly informed of the activities being carried out by the Commission.

Human Rights experts and Commissioners participated in a Commonwealth workshop on the roles and responsibilities of Human Rights Commissioners in Yaounde Cameroon from the 4-6 June.

The participants stressed that the NCHRF immediately address the deficiency of the law with regard to the International Criminal Court accreditation to ensure that the commission is in line with the Paris Principles with the intention of being reinstated as a full member of the ICC.

The NCHRF also decided that a separate strategic plan and road map will be drafted in conjunction to the national plan currently developed by the Government of Cameroon.

“this means the strategic plan will identify the commission’s priorities for the next 5 years with its expected outputs and outcome,” said Jarvis Matiya, Human Rights Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The participants also recommended that the NCHRF immediately respond to violations of human rights by investigations and must also condemn publicly of these violations.

“the participants also recommended that the commission must promptly respond to issues of corruption, a major element against human rights,” confirmed Mr Matiya HR Adviser.

Participants also agreed that there were a number of structural issues that needed to be addressed specifically calling for the amendment of section 10 which will delink the Commission from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The workshop is supported by the Commonwealth Fund for Technicial Co-operation.

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