Cameroon

Violent conflicts in the anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions and in the Far North region of Cameroon have created severe humanitarian needs and mass forced displacement.

Doctor and another health worker threatened in North West region
11 August 2024: In Bamessing village, Ndop commune, Ngo-Ketunija department, North-West region, a doctor and another health worker were threatened by Ambazonia separatists who invaded a health centre. They kidnapped a Reverend Sister and stole a number of items. The health centre, which was one of the few facilities providing medical services, has been forced to […] more
Previous stories:

Quick Links

2023 SHCC Factsheet (EN)

2023 SHCC Factsheet (FR)

Global Health Map

Datasets on HDX

Reports

Aid in Danger

Humanitarian access in Cameroon is challenging. International humanitarian organisations in the Anglophone regions are increasingly affected by ongoing conflict. Insecurity has impeded access for aid workers working in the area, who are often subject to misinformation by people linked to the separatist movement. Aid programmes are disrupted or temporarily suspended due to insecurity.

In the Northwest and Southwest regions, aid workers have been kidnapped, sometimes in groups. There have been cases of kidnapped aid workers being killed in captivity. Aid convoys are also ambushed by armed groups. Data

Health Care

Insecurity Insight monitors attacks on health care in Cameroon.

Based on Insecurity Insight data, the Cameroon chapter of the 2023 Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition report identified at least 31 incidents of violence against or obstruction of health care in Cameroon in 2023, compared to 30 in 2022. In these incidents, six health workers were kidnapped. Attacks on health care in Cameroon in 2023 continued to be committed by state forces and Amazonian separatists in the anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions. Available in English and French.

Our data is accessible here and can be explored visually using our interactive map: Attacked and Threatened: Health Care at Risk.

Education

In 2020, violence affecting education has increased, particularly in the Northwest and Southwest but also in in the Far North, Southwest, Centre and West regions.

Due to insecurity schools have been forced to close forcing schools to close and Cameroon Armed Forces deployed to protect teachers and students. In the Anglophone regions teachers have been forced to leave their job and seek safety elsewhere.

Both students and educators are targeted during attacks and schools stormed by armed groups.

Perpetrators include Ambazonian Separatist fighters in the Northwest and Southwest regions, Boko Haram, active in the Far North region, as well as other armed groups or bandits.

Teachers are kidnapped, killed and physically assaulted on their way to work or inside schools. Teachers are also arrested by state forces over accusation of links with separatists or in their involvement in the Anglophone crisis.

Students are shot, killed and injured in schools, on the way to school or in hostels close to universities. Data

IDPs and Refugees

Increasing insecurity and violence particularly in the Northwest, Southwest and Far North region has led to an increase in displaced persons. IDP camps in the Far North have been attacked by Boko Haram fighters who injured and killed residents and looted goods. Data

Social Media Monitoring

Insecurity Insight monitors and examines social media to identify when it is used to spread false information and incite violence against aid providers. In Cameroon international aid programmes in the conflict areas are subject to misinformation by people with links to the separatist movement and have come under attack as a result.