Attachments
BRIEFING NOTE: Latest Developments on Refugees’ coordination and inclusion dynamics in Cameroon
Context
Cameroon has a long tradition of asylum and has generously provided safe shelter to hundreds of thousands of refugees for decades. As of 31 November 2022, Cameroon hosts 491,113 refugees and asylum seekers, including Nigerians (132,151) in the Far North, Central Africans (355,667) in the border areas of the East, Adamoua and North and other different nationalities in urban centers. In addition, according to IOM, OCHA Displacement Tracking Matrix there are approximately 983,281 internally displaced persons and 555,668 IDP returnees in Cameroon.
Cameroon has been suffering from recurrent regional crises that have increased the protection concerns on the displaced and host affected populations. Namely the influx of Central African refugees in the Adamaoua,
North and East Regions, the Lake Chad Basin conflict leading to Nigerian refugees crossing into the Far North region and the continuous Non-State Armed Groups (NSAG) attacks in the North West and South West region. In addition, the country is challenged by climate change that has caused floods, droughts, and by pandemics such as Covid19, cholera and polio.
Cameroon also faces socio-political crisis in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon affecting the population within the country.
This reality greatly impacts the 2.6 million women, men, girls, and boys living in crisis areas and vulnerable host communities that already struggle with scarce resources and increased protection risks (lack of access to services, early marriages, kidnappings, persecution or SGBV and other harmful practices).
UNHCR Focus is to enhance the protection environment to these vulnerable populations and find solutions for them. UNHCR is advocating for the inclusion of refugees in development plans in Cameroun, and in this respect is following up on the pledges made by the national authorities at the Global Forum on Refugees for the benefit of refugees and host communities and in the spirit of leaving no one behind.