CIVITAS Cameroon engages stakeholders to push for women’s land rights.

The call was made during a two-day learning and awareness workshop organised by CIVITAS Cameroon, a nonprofit organization. It was held under the theme: “Now Woman Left Behind: Advancing Women’s Participation in Land Management and Justice in Cameroon,”.

The workshop ran from July 16 to 17 in Bamenda. It brought together women leaders, traditional authorities, government representatives, legal practitioners, researchers, youth leaders, religious authorities and media practitioners to examine how recent land governance reforms can better protect women’s land rights while addressing longstanding inequalities rooted in customary practices.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the National Director of CIVITAS Cameroon, Barrister Buokejung Nsen Abeng, said securing women’s land rights is essential for justice, sustainable development and stronger communities.

“We cannot speak of inclusive development when women, who contribute immensely to agriculture and community development, continue to face obstacles in accessing and owning land. The reforms currently taking place must become an opportunity to correct historical injustices rather than reinforce them,” she said.

The representative of the Governor of the North West region, Nkenfack Fabien, who is Head of Division for Legal and Administrative Affairs at the Governor’s Office, encouraged participants to work collectively towards ensuring that the implementation of the reforms leaves no woman behind.

A major focus of the workshop was helping participants understand the ongoing land governance reforms, particularly the expanding role of traditional authorities in land administration and dispute resolution. 

Discussions also examined the opportunities and possible risks the reforms present for women if deliberate inclusion measures are not adopted.

Participants equally received information on women’s land rights under national and international legal frameworks, justice mechanisms available to victims of land-related disputes, and practical ways women can participate more actively in local land governance structures.

Traditional rulers to champion initiative 

Traditional rulers used the platform to publicly reaffirm their commitment to promoting women’s inclusion in land management. The Fon of Mbatu, HRM Mungmah III, said his Palace has already taken practical steps to ensure women enjoy secure land ownership.

“Since 2010, we have been working with women in Mbatu to ensure they obtain land certificates in their own names. We will continue supporting them because land ownership gives women security and strengthens families,” he said.

Similarly, the Fon of Bamendankwe, HRM Nforchesiri III, pledged to improve women’s representation in local land governance.

“I will ensure that women in Bamendankwe are represented in the traditional council land consultative committee so their voices are heard whenever land issues are discussed,” he stated.

The workshop also featured experience-sharing sessions where grassroots women recounted challenges ranging from inheritance disputes to difficulties accessing justice under customary systems, while others shared successful community initiatives that have improved women’s access to land.

Participants noted that despite existing legal protections, many women continue to access land through male relatives, leaving them vulnerable to dispossession and exclusion. They stressed that greater legal awareness, stronger collaboration between traditional and state institutions, and increased participation of women in local governance structures remain essential.

As part of the expected outcomes, participants expressed hope that women leaders would become better informed about their land rights and available justice mechanisms, while traditional authorities and public institutions would strengthen commitments to gender-responsive land governance. They also anticipated stronger partnerships among civil society organisations, government institutions and community leaders to sustain advocacy beyond the workshop.

The workshop concluded with participants validating key recommendations and adopting the Bamenda Call to Action, urging government institutions, traditional authorities and civil society to promote women’s representation in land management bodies, strengthen legal literacy, improve access to justice, and ensure that ongoing land reforms translate into equal opportunities for women across Cameroon.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3853 of Monday July 20, 2026