CI-NEWS

NCPBM and UNCHRD-CA build capacities to combat discrimination.

2019-08-16

No: 441

NCPBM and UNCHRD-CA build capacities to combat discrimination.

By Fonban Emmanuel.

The National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism, NCPBM, and the ‘United Nations Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa, UNCHRD-CA, last week organised a two-day capacity building workshop to fight against discrimination. This took place in the headquarters of the NCPBM from the 8- 9 of August 2019.

Discrimination, a virus that has encouraged tribalism, hatred and made social co-existence almost impossible in Cameroon needed such attention that the NCPBM workshop gave. It should be noted that discrimination remains a challenge in many countries and forms strong bonds with other social ills like racism.

In Cameroon, it has even contributed enormously to the sociopolitical upheavals plaguing the country and destroying lives. In a global perspective, discrimination could be likened to a sin against the universal declaration of the 1948 human rights in its article 1 and 2 which reaffirms the right to freedom.

Considering the mandate of the Musonge Commission, it was within its provisions that this workshop was inspired. The objectives were to; build capacity of members of and Secretary General of NCPBM on internal instruments to combat discrimination, identify manifestation of discrimination and its impact on human rights, assume a concrete means to combat discriminatory policies and hate speeches in Cameroon and few others.

Sitting in for the United Nations Human Rights Commission was Mr. Louis-Marie Bouaka, who doubles as the Director of the United Nations Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa.

In a speech during the last day of the seminar, Mr. Bouaka emphasized on the relevance of the workshop, stating that Human Rights is not meant for some people to the detriment of others. He maintained that the question of the fight against discrimination is found in the United Nations agenda and the commitment to combat it was reinforced through the adoption of the universal declaration of human rights and other international instruments.

For his part, the Chairman of the Commission, H.E. Peter Mafany Musonge, thanked Louis-Marie Bouaka for accepting his invitation especially just counting 3months since Ms Michelle Bachelet visited.

He credited the workshop as timely. “It falls in line with one of the missions assigned to the commission which consists receiving and processing petitions within a reasonable timeframe, denouncing discrimination based on language and culture…” said Peter Mafany Musonge in his speech.

He urged the members to make full exploitation of the content of the workshop so as to improve on their output especially on topical issues that are misconceived by the public with the aid of information and communication technologies.

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NCPBM and UNCHRD-CA build capacities to combat discrimination.