Promoting humanitarian laws: Red Cross organises advocacy competition for universities.

The 6th edition of the advocacy competition currently holding in Yaounde, kicked off with a total of 11 universities and professional schools participating.

Students from the institutions involved in the competition have been doing presentations on how best they can provide response to crisis situation. This is in front of a jury made up of experts from various fields.

The competition aims to encourage young people to reflect on the constraints and stakes of international humanitarian laws. 

It is also about the contributions they can make to alleviate the suffering endured by populations as a result of crises, notably those caused by armed conflicts.

ENAM expected to face University of Yaounde II in competition final 

The Head of Operations for the Central African regional bureau of the Red Cross, Andreas Notter, who spoke to reporters in Yaounde Tuesday, described the advocacy competition as a special platform to stimulate interest in both the theoretical and practical issues raised by humanitarian laws. 

He said the platform is also set to position legal practitioners (judges and lawyers) to defend the rights of victims of armed conflicts and other situations of violence.

“What we are trying to do is to push the different units engaged in promoting the respect of the international humanitarian laws to be more interested in facing all the different challenges,” the Red Cross Central African regional bureau lead said. 

These efforts, Notter said, fall in line with the Red Cross’ mission of pushing for the respect of human rights and the wellbeing of humanity.

“A platform like this gives us the opportunity to have students schooled on the stakes and constraints with interventions from stakeholders and experts,” Notter added. 

ENAM boss lauds initiative

The Director General of the National School of Administration and Magistracy, ENAM, Pierre Bertrand Soumbou Angoula, whose institution is participating in the competition has lauded the Red Cross for the initiative.

He said such an advocacy competition highlights the need for peace and the fight for the respect of humanitarian laws at a time when the entire world, including Cameroon, is looking for ways to efficiently deal with the rising instabilities from armed conflicts.

“This is a very important activity. We all want to live in a world void of conflicts. But unfortunately, we find ourselves going through situations of war,” he said.

The ENAM boss added that: “It is therefore primordial that our future leaders who are now in school, be sufficiently informed and schooled on the constraints and stakes so far as international humanitarian laws are concerned in the protection of humanity and protect special groups and vulnerable groups. This will enable them to be ready to better handle such situations”. 

Students during the launch of the semifinals phase 

ENAM to face Y’de II varsity in final 

The final of the advocacy competition scheduled for Wednesday pitting the National School of Administration and Magistracy, ENAM against the University of Yaounde II.

ENAM was out in chase of yet another winners’ trophy in the competition after securing the crown for 2017. 

The university humanitarian law advocacy competition launched some 10 years ago, is part of works done by the Red Cross to that effect. The Red Cross launched across the globe some 160 years ago, has been operational in Cameroon since 1992.