Cameroon - Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Treaty

This report addresses Cameroon’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights with respect to civic and political participation. Against a backdrop of ongoing conflict and political tensions, Cameroon continues to face significant structural, administrative, and security-related barriers affecting the effective realisation of political participation rights under Article 25.

The report examines key concerns related to civic participation in Cameroon, including (1) systemic barriers to civic education arising from conflict-related school closures, chronic underinvestment, poverty, and gender disparities in educational access; (2) barriers to voting access resulting from the voting age, voter-card backlogs, and insecurity in conflict-affected regions; (3) violence and intimidation affecting opposition figures, protesters, and civilians, including allegations of excessive force and arbitrary detention following the 2025 presidential election; and (4) concerns regarding the integrity and transparency of the electoral process, including candidate exclusions and institutional changes affecting political succession.

The report recommends that Cameroon protect and restore education in conflict-affected regions, increase educational investment and support disadvantaged students; address barriers to voter registration and participation, including voter-card backlogs and electoral access in conflict zones; safeguard peaceful political expression and investigate alleged abuses associated with post-election protests; and strengthen the transparency and impartiality of electoral institutions and candidate-selection procedures.