Combating GBV and Building Feminist Peace in the Southern Cameroon Armed Conflict: The case of WILPF- Cameroon and SCEW.

Abstract: Gender-based violence (GBV) be it in peace or conflict settings is a persistent problem that has gained grounds and concerns for activists, women’s organisations, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in general and international bodies like the United Nations. Social inequalities and cultural ideologies inform GBV and other forms of violence that are amplified in war times. Women in war play different roles including that of key actors in conflict prevention, peace negotiations, and peacebuilding. However, their contributions in these roles as agents of peace are often not recognised due to the dynamics of cultural ideologies that influence their positions in society and vulnerability to GBV. With the use of feminist peace and conflict theory, postcolonial theory, and the concept of intersectionality, this study explores and analyses the social forces and complexities defining armed conflicts and its often, disproportionate impact on women. Making use of qualitative methods such as document analysis, in-depth interviews and, secondary sources of data, the research focuses on the role of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)- Cameroon and Southern Cameroon European Women (SCEW) in the fight against GBV in the Cameroon anglophone conflict. It also analyses the interventions made by these organisations in promoting nonviolent peace measures and advocating for meaningful participation of women in the Cameroon national peace dialogue and peace processes in general. The interviews were conducted through zoom and the findings indicate that GBV in war and conflict settings is informed and reinforced by social constructs and norms that define such societies and expose women to more violence and invisibilise the contributions of women to peace processes. Women’s organisations play a pivotal role in combating GBV and promoting nonviolent solution to armed conflicts by engaging in advocacy, activism, capacity building and pushing forth the Women, Peace and, Security (WPS) Agenda. However, their works are threatened by insecurity, government restrictions, abuse of human rights and limited resources. Also, the shrinking civic space in which they operate has a direct and indirect effect on the effective and inclusive implementation of their projects.