Yaounde: Gov’t recommits to protect, safeguard indigenous peoples rights.

She was speaking at a ceremony organised to launch activities in the country, to commemorate the 30th edition of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples on August 9.

This year, the Day is commemorated internationally under the theme: “Protecting the rights of indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation or initial contact”.

In Cameroon, the Day is being commemorated for the 16th time on the theme: “Access to citizenship: A fundamental right for indigenous people”.

According to Minister Irene Nguene, indigenous people because of their way of life marked by voluntary isolation from society are sometimes victims of prejudice, rejection and the non-respect of their rights.

She said it is for this reason that the celebration of this day in the country is taking place in a special context, marked by government initiatives to improve on the living conditions of indigenous populations.

Planned activities

Minister Irene Nguene pointed out that the Head of State in one of his outings highlighted the need to implement policies for the social inclusion of vulnerable groups in the society.

In this light, the minister made the inclusion of groups with specific vulnerabilities a priority, especially by celebrating days dedicated to them.

Minister Irene Nguene revealed that this year, activities will be geared towards putting in place concrete responses and mechanisms to facilitate access to citizenship for Cameroon’s indigenous peoples, notably on the recurring issues of birth registration, the establishment of official documents and registration in the electoral registers.

“The political participation of indigenous peoples and the recognition of their identity remains a major challenge for public authorities as part of the protection of their rights,” the Minister said.

She went further to add that: “This is therefore an opportune moment for us to focus on the issue of the exercise of indigenous peoples rights, in a context that calls for concrete responses and measures to facilitate their social inclusion and participation in political life”.

Minister Irene Nguene said it is the exercise of this right to participation that would guarantee the feeling of belonging to the national community, and therefore the social inclusion of indigenous peoples and communities.

She added that what characterises the way of life of indigenous peoples is their total dependence on their natural environment in particular the forest, hence efforts will be made to align public policies on forestry and biodiversity conservation with social policies to protect and promote the rights of indigenous peoples.

With respect to this, Minister Nguene said indigenous communities will be included in conservation programs and their access to protected areas of land will be guaranteed.

Expected outcomes

Minister Nguene reiterated that their activities are expected to increase the number of birth certificates issued to indigenous communities, which will in turn increase the number of young people and indigenous women holding national identity cards.

She said this will also permit them enroll in electoral operations as candidates and voters, hence their participation in decision making processes.

She added that by taking part in biodiversity conservation efforts, indigenous people will better protect their homes.

Minister Nguene said this will accelerate the fight against vulnerability in the country and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Efforts made

To enable more indigenous peoples have access to citizenship, Minister Nguene revealed that the recent first Mayors Forum on birth registration and the reform of the production and issuing of identity documents provided an avenue to brainstorm on strategies to get more indigenous people to register their births.

She added that beyond permanent advocacy and sectorial actions undertaken by various stakeholders, MINAS has implemented measures for citizenship education for indigenous peoples, which will genuinely enable them to exercise their right to participate in public life in several areas, and bring about the desired changes for their social inclusion.

“For these communities, it is a question of ensuring their participation in social and economic life, their participation in political life, in a nutshell, their participation in sustainable development,” Minister Irene Nguene said.

The International Day of Indigenous Peoples was instituted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1994, to be commemorated every year on August 9.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3183 of Monday July 29, 2024