Yaounde: CANSA reiterates commitment to end gun violence in Cameroon.

He was speaking in Yaounde June 3. This was during a press conference held to launch weeklong commemorative activities for the Global Week of Action, GWA, on Small Arms and Light Weapons, SALW. 

It will be celebrated this year under the theme: “A World without Gun Violence: Turning Words into Actions”.

Speaking at the conference, Ngalim indicated that the GWA is organised every year by the International Action Network on Small Arms, IANSA. He said it is piloted in Cameroon by CANSA, a network of Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, recognised by the government and championing the fight against gun violence in the country.

“Today, we are launching activities but our members are already deployed all over the national territory carrying out awareness raising and sensitisation campaigns against gun violence,” Ngalim told the press.

He added that prior to the launch, a sensitisation peace walk led by one of CANSA’s members was organised on Mount Febe Saturday June 1.

Ngalim said June 8, CANSA will hold a ceremony in Bafia and Ombessa to hand over livelihood and sanitary kits to women and girls, Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, and survivors of Gender-based Violence, GBV. 

The donation, he said, will be from a CANSA member organisation, the Cameroon Youths and Students Forum for Peace, CAMYOSFOP, in partnership with UN Women and the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family.

This year’s Week of Action, Ngalim said, is peculiar in that it is organised prior to the Fourth UN Review Conference on the Program of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, UNPoA, to hold in New York, USA, from June 18 to 28, 2024. 

The review confab, he said, is an avenue for stakeholders to meet and evaluate progress made in the fight against gun violence.

Actions against gun violence 

Ngalim used the presser to laud and highlight some of the network’s key achievements since its creation in 2004 as well as actions CANSA has been involved in to end gun violence in the country.

“In Cameroon, there has been tremendous progress and the civil society has highly contributed to this progress through our research and sensitization programs, advocacy, and field work among others” Ngalim said, adding that: “In 2018, we contributed to the governments ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty, and the Kinshasa Convention on the control of small arms and light weapons, their ammunition and all parts and components that can be used for their manufacture, repair and assembly”.

CANSA president also pointed out that the network regularly organises capacity building and awareness workshops on small arms with stakeholders and government officials, and has a network of journalist who are tasked with information the public on small arms and light weapons as well as all their activities.

“A few weeks ago, one of our members organized a sub-regional workshop on Physical Security Management of Weapons, as a way to raise awareness on the consequences of gun violence. In a few days we will present to the public our action plan on United Nations Resolution 1325 on the role of women in peace processes,” Ngalim stated.

He furthered that during amnesty month in 2021, CANSA’s actions on the ground in collaboration with the government led to the seizure of illegal firearms that were destroyed in Buea on May 19, 2021.

About CANSA

CANSA was created in 2004, as a group of civil society organizations involved in the fight against the illicit proliferation of small arms and other weapons. 

It has as mission to work with the State and all other stakeholders to eradicate the phenomenon of the proliferation of light weapons and other categories of arms, with a view to creating a fairer and safer society in Cameroon.

CANSA has as objectives to coordinate the efforts of organizations and associations in the field of security and disarmament, support government efforts to harmonize legislation on the carrying, use and manufacture of small arms and other weapons, promote education on community safety issues to combat the culture of violence, and provide assistance to victims of armed violence among others.

Some of its partners, among others are; Cameroon Youths and Students Forum for Peace, CAMYOSFOP, Women in Alternative Action, WAA, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, WILPF, Cameroon and the Africa Development Interchange Network, ADIN.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No3132 of Wednesday June 05, 2024