Interethnic and interreligious divide and mistrust in the Extreme North of Cameroon
The Extreme North of Cameroon is plagued by conflict and mistrust between ethnic and religious communities. This part of Cameroon is most exposed to insecurity and violent extremism. The response of local government officials and security actors is usually repressive and fails to include the perspectives of the local communities in their strategies, especially the youth.
Our strategy
- Countering divisive norms that lead to interreligious and interethnic divide, and promoting alternative narratives
- Fostering positive interactions and empathy between different groups
- Promoting cooperation between local government officials, security actors and local communities to mitigate conflict
What do we do to address the problem
Together with our partners, Mensen met een Missie works towards sustainable human security and constructive interreligious and interethnic relations and trust in the Extreme North. Our interfaith partner network consists of 5 local organisations, all representing a different religious denomination. Additionally, we work with a youth movement. We focus on harmful narratives and conduct between the communities that lead to exclusion, mistrust and violence. Next to that, one of the key spoilers of peace is the repressive non-participatory conduct of local government officials and security actors in addressing conflict and extremism.
Mensen met een Missie and its local partners focus on:
Convictions – We focus on harmful norms and narratives that people within a group hold about ‘the other’. This includes mostly intragroup strategies. Interventions especially focus on increasing the agency of youth to actively resist harmful norms and promote alternative narratives.
Connections – We nurture positive interactions and constructive interreligious and interethnic relations. We promote dialogue between local government officials, security actors and local community representatives. Through creating spaces where people meet across divides, facilitating exchange and mutual understanding and spotlighting influential champions of peace.
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