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.

Two women kidnapped and raped in Far North region
27 January 2024: Between Gancey town and Kolofata town, Mayo-Sava department, Far North region, two women were kidnapped and raped in their field by armed Boko Haram fighters. They were taken to a health facility after their release. Source: Humanity Purpose. Return to Cameroon home page. more
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2022 SHCC Factsheet (EN)

2022 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 our data, the Cameroon country chapter of the 2022 Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition report identified 31 incidents of violence against or obstruction of health care in Cameroon in 2022 compared to 10 in 2021 and 17 in 2020. At least 35 health workers were kidnapped and 12 were arrested in 2022. This marked an increase from 2021, when three health workers were kidnapped and four were arrested. Much of the overall increase in incidents in 2022 was attributable to events in which health workers and health care providers were accused of bias towards either government forces or separatists. The full chapter is accessible in English and in French.

Insecurity Insight data regarding attacks on health care is accessible for download on HDX.

Our Global Interactive Map on Threats and Violence against Health Care provides access to continuously updated information on violence against health care in conflict and related to COVID-19.

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.