Cameroon is facing an alarming crisis of femicides, with at least 33 women killed since the beginning of 2026, including 11 in domestic settings. These recently compiled figures highlight a tragic reality where domestic violence remains a major issue.
These statistics reveal poignant stories of women victimized by their spouses, fiancés, or ex-partners. Recent cases demonstrate this brutality: in Evodoula, a woman was killed with a machete by her husband; in Douala, another suffered the same fate; in Kousseri, a woman was stabbed to death by her husband; and in Kribi, a nursing student was killed, with her partner suspected. These events underscore violence that occurs within intimate relationships, where safety should be a priority.
Law enforcement has made arrests in several of these cases, but these interventions often come after the worst has happened. Arrests, while necessary, are not enough to reverse a worrying trend, fueled by complex social, cultural, and economic factors.
Faced with this situation, associations, authorities, and civil society actors are calling for increased mobilization to stop this phenomenon. Beyond the numbers, broken lives, destroyed families, and a society facing persistent violence are at stake.
Since 2023, the Cameroonian government has been working on a bill to combat gender-based violence, with a validation workshop organized in February 2026. The goal is to strengthen victim protection and increase penalties. A national strategy to combat gender-based violence has also been adopted, aiming for a 50% reduction in the prevalence of such violence by 2026.
In 2025, more than 62 femicides were recorded in Cameroon. Since the beginning of 2026, around twenty cases have been reported in just two months, illustrating the persistence and severity of gender-based violence.
Despite these efforts, violence persists, highlighting a gap between public commitments and the daily reality for women and girls. The theme of International Women's Day in 2026, "Justice for all women and girls," emphasizes rights, access to justice, and protection, amid growing concern about violence against women.
Combating femicides in Cameroon requires collective action and concrete measures to protect women and punish the perpetrators of these crimes. Civil society, authorities, and every citizen have a role to play in ending this tragedy.
