Esther Omam dedicates int’l award to conflict victims, community peace champions….

The internationally acclaimed peace-builder and mediator, was speaking Tuesday, November 14, in Ottawa, Canada. This was as she mounted the global stage for the umpteenth time to fly Cameroon’s flag high. 

It was during a ceremony organised by international independent charitable organisation, Global Centre for Pluralism, to officially hand her the award, won through her three decades dedication and sacrifices in efforts to bridge the gaps of social injustices, inequalities, marginalisation and discrimination, suffered by the most vulnerable populations. 

The institution had last October 25, 2023, declared Esther Omam, alongside two others and to seven honourable recipients, as winners of its 2023 Global Pluralism Award, for their inspiring and brave work that are helping to build more inclusive societies where diversity is valued and protected. 

Omam was singled out from among 200 submissions across 60 countries, following a rigorous review process by an international jury for strides made in mobilising women and youth from across Cameroon to advocate an end to conflict. 

Thanks Global Center for Pluralism team…

In her acceptance speech at the ceremony, Omam thanked the Global Centre for Pluralism team and members of the international jury, for what she described as “once-in-a-lifetime experience” of being the recipient of the prestigious award.

She also expressed gratitude to her husband and children, for being a strong tower of support, despite all the odds and to all who worked so hard to make the “dream come true”.

Omam described the award as a “recognition and appreciation of three decades of hard work, sacrifices and resilience”.

“This award is a testimony of the resilience, dedication and sacrifices of our Board of Directors, my collaborators, women peacebuilders, partners, friends and allies and myself standing before you today to see that we build just and peaceful communities; despite the many challenges,” she told guests at the event.

The award, the Reach Out Cameroon boss said, reminds her of the work done, that which she and her team still have to do in “strengthening community systems and pushing back all these negatives in order to push forth good practices such as community dialogues that help build relationships across ethic, religious, economic and political divides”. 

Esther Omam brandishing award as hundreds applaud 

Hails Cameroon’s diversity, cultural heritage 

Omam said Cameroon’s rich cultural heritage and a diversity of ethnic groups contributed to shaping her understanding and enabled her gain “lots of insights which have informed” her “work with the concept of leaving no one behind no matter the moments and circumstances”. 

Omam told guests that she has witnessed first-hand, how for the past seven years, multiple conflicts in Cameroon, notably the Anglophone crisis in the North West and South West Regions, the Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North Region and the refugee crisis in the East Region, have exacerbated the vulnerabilities faced by women and the girl child.

These conflicts, Omam regretted, “have eroded most of the gains made with regards to the Sustainable Development Goal 5 on Gender Equality”.

More peacebuilding, mediation efforts needed 

Harping on threats to her person and other ordeals faced in trying to go about her work in the conflict-hit areas, Omam lamented that women have been disproportionately affected by the ranging conflicts. 

“…many are those like myself who have been threatened in the course of doing their work, some have been maimed for life, targeted, kidnapped or simply killed,” she recounted. 

Omam added that: “We have seen the increasing use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), attacks on school children and other senseless killings. Women, men and children have been perishing for that which they never bargained for”. 

The bloodletting in the conflict-hit Regions of the country, Omam said, “serves as a reminder that there is still much to be done in the area of peacebuilding and mediation”. 

Dedicates award to conflict victims 

Omam said she was “honoured and humbled” with the award. She dedicated recognition to conflict victims and aid workers. 

“…it is for me and all those who have been going through pains and sufferings as well as those who have passed on. I equally dedicate this award to our community champions from diverse backgrounds, call them the apostles of peace, and women peacebuilders. All those who, indiscriminately are at the forefront of life saving actions. I equally dedicate this award to you the victims of this war, you the refugees, the internally displaced and the homeless,” Omam said.  

Award call to do more 

The award, she declared, is a source of “hope, confidence and commitment to keep striving to empower” her compatriots to “learn to live together in the crisis and with the crisis while searching for pathways of peace and fight against violent extremism and Gender Based Violence.
Such, she insisted, must be done while addressing “the root causes of issues plaguing our society while treating every man and woman with respect and dignity”.

“I won’t relent because we are nothing without each other,” Omam pledged before the hundreds who attended the event. 

Snippet of Omam’s peace efforts, humanitarian activities 

Omam Esther, has for three decades now, through her organisation, Reach Out Cameroon, been promoting the rights of women and children in conflict-affected areas and advancing women’s participation in the peacebuilding process. 

Through Reach Out Cameroon, she has served over 1,700,000 people in remote communities in the North West and South West Regions, since the start of the ongoing Anglophone crisis in late 2016.

To amplify women’s voices, strengthen their agency and draw attention to the impacts of violence and trauma on their communities, Omam established the Southwest/Northwest Women’s Taskforce. 

Omam was one of main organisers of the first-ever National Women’s Convention for Peace in Cameroon, which drew over 1,200 women from across the country to demand an end to violence. 

From facilitating the participation of women in local and national dialogues, Omam opened a Peace House christened: “Esther’s Brave Space”, which offers temporary accommodation and counseling to survivors of gender-based violence.

Omam has been championing pluralism by strengthening communities and uniting voices to call for peace and social cohesion in Cameroon.