Baka women claim their rights

9 August is the International Day of the World's Indigenous People. In 2003, Plan in Cameroon initiated The Pygmy Rights and Dignity Project and, recently, Baka Pygmy women held participants spellbound during a roundtable discussion that focused on violence against them.

Baka communities belong to the ethnic, linguistic and religious group of Pygmy. There are an estimated 75,000 Pygmy Baka in small settlements spread over the vast rainforest of the East Province.

For them, the transition from nomadic to a sedentary lifestyle presents many challenges, not least of which is access to citizenship, social services and property, including land.

With no legal identification documents, their nationality is questionable, and as a consequence they are frequently the subject of rights abuse, with women in suffering in particular.

By Baka tradition, the woman is the head of the family. The woman chooses her spouse and provides the family shelter. Men simple follow their spouses when they choose to relocate. The authority of the woman is limited to her household and settlement.

When it comes to relationships with fellow Bantus, the Baka woman’s authority has often met with serious challenges, generally leaving them with no voice.

In 2003, Plan Cameroon embarked on The Pygmy Rights and Dignity Project, concentrating on the Bakas of the East Province. The primary aim of the project was to improve living standards, but also to set up appropriate strategies and systems to protect Baka civil rights and human dignity.

In particular, the project provided support to the Bakas to organise themselves in groups to enhance their bargaining power and to claim rights. Awareness on human rights, particularly for children and women, was central.

Claiming rights is exactly what happened in Lomié, a small town in the East Province of Cameroon. The occasion was the commemoration of International Women’s Day. In the week running up to that day, local radio stations broadcast programmes focusing on the theme of stopping violence against women.

Six Baka women from six settlements (Bosquet, Koungoulou, Payo, Njontal, Bingongol and Nomedjoh) held the full conference hall of the local municipal council spellbound in a round-table discussion that focused on violence against them and their children.

The women spoke eloquently about the violation of their rights and their children’s rights: household violence, economic exploitation by adjacent Bantus, sexual harassment, intimidation and limited access to the services of arbitration, and limited opportunities for proper education for their children.

“We women of Bingongol need to be treated like others; we have the right to life, good health and more education opportunities for our children,” Marie insisted.

“Our husbands are always drinking and coming to disturb us in the night; they don’t give money for the education of children,” Tchobambit added.

In the end, the Divisional Officer of Lomié, the highest ranking government official for the area, praised panellists for the logical presentation of facts, acknowledged the pertinence of the issues that emerged from the discussion and promised to take the issue further.

Top on the list of recommendations that came through was the call for special legislation to protect the minority Baka women and their children. The discussion turned out to be an eye-opener for many about the profound changes that the project had introduced in 30 Baka communities.

On International Women’s Day, 8 March, 120 Baka women from all over Lomié, with Plan’s support, joined 150 Bantu women to carry placards in a procession through the town to applause from the crowds of onlookers. Competitions in songs and games, among others, concluded the day, with Baka women taking first prize in running and second prize in singing.

“In all of my lifetime, I have never seen this type of occasion where our women are moving, singing and talking freely in front of Bantus and administrative authorities; if only our parents who have died could come and see these positive changes!” said one Baka Chief who accompanied his spouse to the occasion.

“We need more opportunities like this to express ourselves and we are calling the authorities to protect our rights,” said Anna of Bosquet.