Garoua, July 22 to 26, 2024 - The RIBADOU hotel hosted a series of decisive workshops as part of the PBF GYPI DDR Gender Project titled "Women for Inclusive Reintegration in Cameroon". These workshops were designed to strengthen the engagement of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in general, and Women's Organizations (WOs) in particular, in the national Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process, as well as to support the National Committee for Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (NDDRC) in its collaborative approach with civil society.

The main objective of the workshops was to develop and validate a policy for engaging women's organizations in Mental Health, Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and DDR. These events were an opportunity to present the project results, discuss the needs of women's organizations, and prepare an operational framework document to strengthen collaboration between the different stakeholders.

The workshops were held in two key phases. The first phase "Engagement Policy Development Workshop", which took place from 22 to 25 July 2024 in Garoua, and was attended by 35 participants, aimed to draw up an inventory of the needs of women's organisations in terms of MHPSS and DDR and to prepare an operational framework to support their engagement in the national DDR process. During this first workshop, the following were represented: the NDDRC, the Technical Secretariat of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF), administrative sectors (MINAT, MINJEC, MINPROFF, MINAS), traditional authorities, IOM, UN Women, the WO beneficiaries of the project, as well as implementation partners such as ALVF-EN and LOYOC.

The second phase, titled « Engagement Policy Validation Workshop », was held on July 26, 2024, with the aim of validating the operational framework document developed during the first workshop. This phase saw the participation of 58 people, with the involvement of key actors from the first workshop.

These workshops are part of a broader approach aimed at strengthening the capacities of women's organizations so that they play a more active role in DDR processes in Cameroon. Furthermore, by allowing these organizations to better understand the MHPSS and DDR issues and by facilitating their participation in the coordination structures, the project aspires to a more inclusive and effective reintegration of DDR beneficiaries.

Strengthening the capacities of women's organisations and increasing their involvement in the DDR process are essential to achieving the objectives of the NDDRC's Gender Strategy 2021-2025. This approach is fully in line with the objectives of the United Nations, such as Resolution 1325, as well as other international documents on the participation of women in peace and reconciliation processes.

Furthermore, this initiative has not only formalized crucial engagement policies, but has also laid the foundations for strengthened collaboration between the NDDRC and civil society organizations. In doing so, it significantly contributes to a more inclusive and sustainable reintegration of women in national DDR processes.

Jointly implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UN Women with the participation of the CSO Association for the Fight against Violence against Women in the Far North (ALVF-EN) and the Local Youth Corner (LOYOC) NGO, the PBF GYPI Project under the coordination of the NDDRC aims to promote gender equality and women's empowerment in the DDR process in Cameroon. This project, funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), spans a duration of 18 months from January 2023 to July 2024.

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For further information, please contact:

• Dahlia EZEKWONNA, IOM Cameroon E-mail: dezekwonna@iom.int
• Pascale ESSAMA, IOM Cameroon E-mail: pessama@iom.int