Anger in Cameroon over femicide after eight women killed in a week
The killing of at least eight women in a week has sparked outrage in Cameroon, with many calling on the government to do more to protect women and girls.
Recent events in Cameroon have sparked widespread outrage over a disturbing trend of femicide, the killing of women. Over the past week, at least eight women have been killed, with many calling for the government to take action to protect women and girls. Footballer Nchout Njoya Ajara has called for an end to the "tragic wave" of targeting women.
Official figures show that 50 women were killed between January and April this year, compared to 77 last year. The latest case involved a 44-year-old woman who was stabbed to death in her hotel room in the capital, Yaoundé. The opposition Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) party expressed outrage over the "tragic recurrence of domestic femicides" and accused the government of being passive about the issue.
The minister for Women's Empowerment and the Family, Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa, condemned the rise in killings and said the government was working to address the problem. However, civil society and women's rights groups have criticized the government's delay in turning a bill to protect women against gender-based violence into law.
A parliamentary session to review the bill is scheduled for November, but there is concern it may not pass due to budgetary debates. Activists have called for the creation of a special court to handle family disputes that lead to domestic violence.
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