Severity: Warning
Message: Undefined array key 0
Filename: views/newspaper.php
Line Number: 25
Backtrace:
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/application/views/newspaper.php
Line: 25
Function: _error_handler
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/application/controllers/Newspaper.php
Line: 614
Function: view
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once
Severity: Warning
Message: Attempt to read property "name" on null
Filename: views/newspaper.php
Line Number: 25
Backtrace:
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/application/views/newspaper.php
Line: 25
Function: _error_handler
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/application/controllers/Newspaper.php
Line: 614
Function: view
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

Women groups give Cameroon government, separatist fighters 30 days to announce ceasefire in NW, SW
Five women groups in Cameroon have called on key actors in the Anglophone crisis to give peace a chance by putting down their weapons. The groups are the South West North West Women Taskforce, SNWOT; Southern Cameroons European Women, SCEW; Christian Women Fellowship, CWF; Cameroon Baptist Convention Women’s Department, CBCWD; and the United Methodist Women Association in Cameroon, UMWAC.
In the statement, the women said that they “… expect all parties to announce a cessation of hostilities within the next 30 days,” adding that it should be a written agreement “with each party clearly stating its commitment”.
Members of the groups say they are alarmed by significant human rights abuses committed by government forces and separatist fighters.
The conflict has brought untold hardship to the masses, claiming thousands of lives and displacing nearly one million people according to the UN. For nearly four years, children have not been to school, amid increased child and maternal mortality, absence of primary health care and acute food shortage.
Citing UN Security Council Resolution, UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, and 2535 on cessation of hostilities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the women groups say it is necessary for parties in the conflict to “respect human life and dignity and protect the population… stop the alarming death toll, cease all hostilities by all armed actors immediately…”.
The groups further urged government and separatist fighters to ensure dialogue takes place.
“Agree to a 6-month ceasefire to allow for political space to discuss these points…” they urged both parties, adding that the dialogue should be done with representatives of the Anglophone civil society present.
The call is one of several others made by within and out of the country, states and humanitarian bodies for peace to return to the North West and South West regions of Cameroon.