REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON Paix-Travail-Patrie Peace-Work-Fatherland rd 53 SESSION OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS OF THE AFRICAN UNION rd 3 PERIODIC REPORT OF CAMEROON WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS Banjul, 09 to 24 April, 2013 1 LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS A/C Warrant Officer Class 1 ACNPD National Civic Agency for Participation in Development ADJT Warrant Officer ALMA African Leader‟s against Malaria Alliance Voluntary Partnership Agreement/ Forest Law Enforcement Governance VPA FLEGT and Trade Art. Article ASNPCPD National Civic Service Agency for Participatory Development ATER Teaching and Research Assistant PIB Public Investment Budget BIR Rapid Reaction Battalion CA Appeals‟ Court ACHPR African Commission on Human and Peoples‟ Rights CAED Reception Centre for Distressed Children CAMB Bertoua Reception Centre for Minors CAO Reception and Observation Centre Campaign for Accelerated Reduction of Maternal and Infant Mortality in CARMMA Africa CCPAC Committee of Central African Police Chiefs CDBF Budget and Finance Disciplinary Council CEDAW Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women ECCAS Economic Community of Central African States CEMAC Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross CNDHL National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms CNPS National Provident Fund Cardinal Paul Emile LEGER National Centre for Rehabilitation of CNRPH-CPEL Disabled Persons United Nations Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central CNUDHD Africa CONAC National Anti-Corruption Commission CONAC National Anti-Corruption Commission CONAVI National Committee on Ageing National Committee for the Rehabilitation and Socio-economic CONRHA Reintegration of Disabled Persons COPAX Central African Peace and Security Council CP Criminal Code CPP Rules of Procedure Code CPPF Women and Family Promotion Centre Centre for Research and Application of Endoscopic Surgery and Human CRACERH Reproduction CRPH Maroua Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Persons CRPH Regional Pharmacovigilance Centres SC Supreme Court 2 CS Supreme Court CTD Decentralised Territorial Authorities DGSN Criminal Investigations Department DGSN Criminal Investigations Department GESP Growth and Employment Strategy Paper GESP Growth and Employment Strategy Paper PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper EDR Street Child ELECAM Elections Cameroon ENAM School of Administration and Magistracy ENAP National Prisons Academy ENS National Advanced School ERSUMA Regional Advanced School of Magistracy ESIR Special Rapid Deployment Squads FCB Chantal BIYA Foundation FCFA Franc of the African Financial Community FENAC National Festival of Arts and Culture FESCARHY Yaoundé Festival of Caricature and Humour FMSB Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences FNE National Employment Fund G/M Chief Gendarme GEN Gendarme GPX Police Officer IADM Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative ICE Cameroon Children‟s Institute ICE Cameroon Children‟s Institute IRIC International Relations Institute of Cameroon JCP Sanitation Awareness Day Jgt Judgment JIPH International Day for Persons with Disabilities MDL Sergeant MILDA Long-lasting treated mosquito nets MINAS Ministry of Social Affairs MINATD Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation MINEDUB Ministry of Basic Education Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable MINEPDED Development MINFOF Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife MINFOPRA Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reforms MINJUSTICE Ministry of Justice MINPROFF Ministry of Women and Family Affairs MINREX Ministry of Foreign Affairs MINTP Ministry of Public Works MINTSS Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare MIPROMALO Mission for the Promotion of Local Materials 3 MP Attorney General‟s Department OEV Orphans and Vulnerable Children MDGs Millennium Development Goals ONEL National Elections Observatory NGO Non Governmental Organisation Programme for the Improvement of Detention Conditions and Respect PACDET for Human Rights PADAV Support Project for Developing Village Poultry Farming PADFA Support Project for Beekeeping Industry PAJER-U Support Programme for Rural and Urban Youth PARETFOP Support Project for Technical Education Reform and Vocational Training PDFP Development Programme for the Pork Industry PDPP Development Plan for the Pygmy Populations PIAASI Integrated Assistance Programme for Informal Sector Stakeholders Youth Socio-Economic Integration Project for Micro-Enterprises PIFMAS Engaged in the Production of Sports Equipment PNDP National Programme for Participatory Development PNE National Employment Policy PNG National Governance Programme Capacity Building Project for Environmental and Social Management in PRECESSE the Energy Sector PROPELCA Operational Research Project for Language Teaching in Cameroon PSFE Forest-Environment Sector Programme PSG Simple Management Plan PVVIH People Living With HIV SAV African Immunisation Awareness Week SDDP Small Holder Dairy Development Project SGBC Société Générale des Banques SOCAM Cameroon Civil Society for Musical Art SYNEDEBOC National Union of Drinking Bar Operators of Cameroon TGI District Court TM Military Tribunal TPI Court of First Instance TPI Intermittent Preventive Treatment UFA. Forest Management Units 4 I N T R O D U C T I O N 5 1. As part of the process of consolidating the constructive dialogue embarked upon with the African Commission on Human and Peoples‟ Rights (ACHPR), the Government of Cameroon presented its third periodic report covering the period 2008-2011. It must be recalled that Cameroon started with the defense of its preliminary Report at the 31st Session of the Commission held in Pretoria in 2002, followed by its 1st and 2nd periodic reports submitted during the 39th Session (09-23 May, 2006), and the 47th Session (12-26 May, 2010) respectively in Banjul, the Gambia. 2. This report, first of all, contains some answers to recommendations made by the African Commission on Human and Peoples‟ Rights (ACHPR) following the presentation of the previous report in Banjul. It also reports on positive measures taken by the Government on the promotion and protection of human rights until the date of its submission. 3. It must be emphasized from the outset that during the period under review, Cameroon embarked on a development agenda, with the set ambition of becoming an emerging country, democratic and unified in its diversity by 2035. To achieve this goal, the Government designed a Growth and Employment Strategy Paper (GESP) in 2010. As the new strategic framework for Government action, the GESP encapsulates four general objectives, namely: to alleviate poverty in order to attain socially- acceptable levels, become a middle income country, achieve the status of a Newly Industrialized Country, strengthen national unity and consolidate the democratic process. Three strategic guidelines were defined with a view to achieving this objective: 1. Growth strategy, 2. Employment strategy, 3. Strategy for improving governance and the strategic management of the State. 1) Growth strategy is structured around five priorities: infrastructural development, modernization of productive equipment, human resource development, regional integration and diversification of trade and finally financing the economy. a) Infrastructural Development Energy sector, Cameroonn hopes to definitively reduce the structural underfunding, become an exporter of electric power, thereby contributing to the equilibrium in the balance of trade of the country. Among the short-term measures envisaged are the construction of the Lom Pangar dam, the Yassa thermal power plant and the Kribi gas power plant. In the medium term, it is anticipated that the Memve‟le dam, Nachtigal, Song Mbengue, Warak, Colomines and Ndockayo power plants will be constructed. In the long term, plans are underway for the development of several sites with the potential for energy export. The short term measures include in particular, the construction of the Lom Pangar dam, the Yassa thermal plant and the gas-fired plant at Kribi. Road Sub-sector, the road network to be rehabilitated (2000 km of asphalt roads by 2020); road works to be intensified consist of paving laterite roads (more than 3500 km by 2020). The intervention priorities consist of accompanying these developments with major industrial and agro-pastoral projects, the regional corridors (Trans-African, North-South corridor, CEMAC road network) ; 6 Transport sector, the emphasis will be placed on the development of a new port and railway infrastructure to accompany the growth-stimulating priority projects. These mainly include the construction of a deep water port at Kribi, another at Limbé and the development of new railway lines (more than 1000 km), which are consistent with international standards ; Water and sanitation, the option prioritized by the Government in the urban areas is public- private-partnership and the establishment of bodies responsible for infrastructure and distribution respectively ; Regarding the prospect of Cameroon becoming an emerging country, the authorities have undertaken to formulate a national management strategy on land assets with specific emphasis on State-administered or State-managed landed property ; In the ICT sector, the strategic objectives by the year 2020 will consist mainly of : (i) extending the telephone density of fixed lines to 45% and the telephone