Forest Voices

FCTV’s Forest Voices project in the Dja Biosphere Reserve Cameroon, specifically Lomie (East of the Dja), aims to enhance respect for the human rights of marginalised groups in Cameroon.

Project Background

Cameroon is a State Party to the UN Declaration of Human Rights, UN Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination and The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, all of which guarantee equal rights to all citizens. Despite these legal guarantees, Cameroon’s indigenous forest people, comprising Baka, Bakoli, Baygeli and Bedzang people, face discrimination in a number of areas. These include unequal access to education, discriminatory land tenure policies involving eviction from traditional lands, unequal participation in decision-making processes through to discriminatory practice within the justice system.

Project Aim

The project seeks to build the capacity of civil society organisations to raise awareness and advocate for the human rights of the indigenous forest communities.

The action will specifically address the problems of the marginalisation of Baka people, as well as the following interrelated causal problems:

• Lack of capacity for civil society representing indigenous forest communities, to hold Government to account and advocate for their rights.

• Lack of knowledge and understanding amongst Local Government officials regarding current policy and the rights of forest-based communities.

• Lack of political will and national capacity to enforce Human Rights legislation.

• Wider societal discrimination against the Baka communities.

Project Activities

The action will embody a multi-stakeholder approach; working with communities, civil society organisations, non-Government organisations and all levels of Government (national ministries, local authorities and forest game guards).  Developing partnerships with different stakeholders, the action seeks to create an enabling environment to develop appropriate and collaborative solutions and ensure the rights of indigenous forest communities are respected.

LEF and FCTV also seek to work with Baka communities to develop a collaborative, awareness-raising and advocacy tool to address issues faced. One important element of this project will be the production of a music CD. Music is central to the Baka’s way of life. In addition to marking key ceremonies (births, deaths, marriages, celebrations of forest life), music provides a constant soundtrack to the Baka’s daily activities and is a common means of passing stories and information between communities. By using music as a tool for advocacy and awareness-raising, the project seeks to ensure communities are able to feel an ownership of the materials produced; empowering and increasing their confidence to present their culture and vocalise challenges faced to the outside world.

Other activities will include educational roadshow, rights based information workshops for civil society organisations, advocacy training, information sessions for game guards and government officials.

Expected Results

• Increased awareness amongst wider public in Cameroon on the rights of indigenous forest people.

• Enhanced capacity for community-based organisations representing indigenous forest people to engage with Government and advocate at a regional and national level.

• Increased capacity for Local Government to understand the rights of indigenous forest communities and effectively communicate with the communities.

• Increased engagement of forest-based communities in local, regional and national decision-making processes and policy formulation.

Project funding

This project is co-financed by the European Commission.

This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of Living Earth Foundation and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.