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In today’s world, where conflicts and tensions continue to plague nations, it is crucial that we take proactive steps to create a culture of peace. By fostering dialogue and understanding among diverse groups, we can begin to bridge divides and address the root causes of violence. This event serves as a shining example of how we can work together towards a common goal: a peaceful and prosperous society for all. 

In his August 2024 remarks on the 25th Anniversary of the Adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, the President of the UN General Assembly Mr. Dennis Francis called for a collective and continued action by various stakeholders such as governments, the UN system, youth organizations, academia, civil society, development institutions and media. More importantly, we recognize the relentless technical and funding efforts that the UN agencies and development partners in Cameroon and across Africa are making to ensure attainment of peace amidst heightening political tensions. These efforts echo that attaining peace entails going beyond conflict resolution to include bettering human lives through respect for life, socio-economic empowerment, education, and good governance.

Hence, the Pan African University cannot overstate the significance of education in nurturing African future leaders who would embody empathy, collaboration, good governance, and cultural tolerance, for the achievement of the continent’s stability. This corresponds to the UN’s emphasis on the ideas of peace and the culture of peace that needs to be cultivated in the minds of children and communities through formal and informal education across countries and generations.

The primary objective of this event is to raise awareness among youth about the significance of a culture of peace. The event will provide them with valuable insights and practical skills that will enable them to become agents of change in their communities. By targeting students of the Pan African University, located in Yaoundé and Buea, this event aims to reach a wide audience and inspire them to take action for peace.

Expected outcomes for this event centers around increased awareness of the importance of cultivating a culture of peace, exchange of ideas on the best approaches to sustainable peace, increased cultural tolerance among the diverse cultures in Cameroon and across Africa and the  increased advocacy for policies that support peacebuilding, understanding and the respect for fundamental human rights.

This event is open to state authorities, United Nations agencies, diplomatic corps, development partners, media, academics, civil society, and university students from the Pan African University and University of Yaounde I and II. 

During the two-day event, participants will have the opportunity to attend workshops and panel discussions on various aspects of peace building. These sessions will cover topics such as conflict resolution, reconciliation, social cohesion, and the role of youth in peace processes. Through interactive discussions and hands-on activities, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of peace as a foundation for sustainable development.

Furthermore, the event will emphasize the need for youth to become active participants in peace processes. By encouraging youth to take action in their communities, these conversations will foster a sense of ownership and empowerment in the participants. 

The event will equally advocate for policies and programs that support peacebuilding among communities. By engaging with local policymakers and stakeholders, participants can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities that exist in promoting a culture of peace in Cameroon, in Africa and the world too. This advocacy work is crucial in ensuring that actions taken during the event have a lasting impact beyond the immediate time frame.

The collaborative event between PAUGHSS and #defyhatenow is a remarkable initiative that aims to create a culture of peace in Cameroon and Africa. By engaging youth and promoting dialogue and understanding, the event aims to foster inclusive societies and pave the way for sustainable peace. Urging all to take this opportunity to participate and contribute to the journey towards a more peaceful and harmonious world. Let us defyhateNOW and create a future where peace, empathy, tolerance, acceptance and love prevails.

Participants are expected to leave the event with a renewed commitment to promoting peace in their own communities. They will have gained valuable skills in conflict resolution and peacebuilding, which they can apply in real-world scenarios. Despite leaving the event with newfound skills and motivation, participants may face challenges such as resistance from community members who may turn out to be reluctant to change but the strategy is to let them see that positive change is possible and that everyone can contribute in making that happen because we all have a role to play in building a peaceful and secure environment for everyone to live and thrive in. 

Hashtags:

#PeaceBuilding  #Act4Peace #HateFreeCameroon #ThinkB4UClick  #Youth4Peace, #CultureOfPeace

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In commemoration of their 20th anniversary last week, the United Nations Centre for Human Rights & Democracy in Central Africa (UNCHRD-CA) organised a two day discussion session to reiterate their work around these 20 years of promoting democratic values and rules in the sub region without forgetting their advancement on the promise of freedom, equality and justice for all. This centre covers 10 countries of the Economic Community of Central Africa. Their mandate is rooted in the principle that all individuals are entitled to certain inalienable rights by virtue of being human. These rights encompass civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, and serve as the foundation for a just and equitable society. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, outlines the basic principles of human rights and provides a framework for the protection of these rights on a global scale. The mandate of human rights encompasses the protection of individuals from discrimination, torture, slavery, arbitrary detention, and other forms of oppression. Additionally, it includes the promotion of the right to education, healthcare, work, and participation in cultural and political life. Upholding this mandate is crucial for fostering inclusive and peaceful societies where every person can flourish and contribute to the common good of all. 

Hate speech poses a serious threat to human rights, democracy and peace in Cameroon. It can fuel mistrust, resentment and hatred among different segments of society. It can also undermine public confidence in democratic institutions and processes. Moreover, it can create a climate of fear and intimidation that prevents people from expressing their opinions freely. On the other hand, free speech is a fundamental human right that enables people to express their views without fear of censorship or reprisal. It is essential for democracy as it allows people to participate in public debate, hold authorities accountable and seek information. It also fosters diversity of opinions and perspectives that enriches society. 

However, free speech is not absolute. It comes with responsibilities and limitations that are necessary to protect other human rights and public interests. According to international human rights law, ”free speech can be restricted when it constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence; when it violates the rights or reputations of others; when it jeopardises national security, public order, public health or morals”.  Therefore, there is a need for a balance between free speech and respect for human dignity, and diversity. 

That is why #defyhatenow in this light works on curbing the spread of hate speech, incitement to violence and #FakeNews through her #AFFCameroon, #Act4Peace, #ThinkB4UClick and #Media4Peace projects aimed at contributing to deconstruct false and negative perceptions online and offline. Our work focuses on creating a framework for increasing trust between stakeholders through mobilising civic action against all forms of hate speech and incitement to violence, including through disinformation created by the Covid-19 pandemic. The initiative seeks to support the voices and actions of citizens working against online induced conflict within and outside affected regions and during elections in Cameroon by bringing youth, community leaders, grassroots organisations and civil society stakeholders into a peace-oriented framework.

CONTEXTE

Le 15 février 2023, paraissait au grand public l’enquête « stories killers » du consortium Forbidden Stories qui met en lumière les actions d’une société israélienne clandestine spécialisée dans l’influence sur les réseaux sociaux et qui aurait manipulé des dizaines d’élections, notamment en Afrique. Grâce au travail de plusieurs journalistes pendant plusieurs années, le monde découvre donc le mode opératoire de la «Team Jorge » ayant conduit plus d’une vingtaine d’opérations de désinformation au profit d’États, d’hommes politiques, d’entreprises ou de riches bénéficiaires de plusieurs pays africains. Spécialisée dans la désinformation, le cyber-espionnage et la propagation de récits fabriqués de toutes pièces, Team Jorge a longtemps travaillé à la création de faux comptes sur les réseaux sociaux, la fabrication de faux documents, des opérations marketing pour redorer l’image écornée d’un dirigeant ou d’une entreprise. Elle offre aussi de mener des campagnes d’influence de grande ampleur, des deep fakes personnalisés ou le placement d’articles via le recrutement de journalistes qui influencent grandement le déroulement des élections.

Ainsi, le Nigeria en 2015 et le Kenya en 2017 ont été des cibles de Cambridge Analytica, la société britannique de conseil politique qui a tenté d’influencer les élections générales via Facebook, Twitter et WhatsApp. Dans un contexte fragile où l’accès au numérique se développe en Afrique et l’utilisation d’internet est de plus en plus dynamique au Cameroun avec la vulgarisation de l’utilisation de l’IA et l’avènement des réseaux sociaux d’influence tels que Tik Tok, les élections présidentielles prévues pour 2025 apparaissent être une potentielle menace à la construction de la paix et la restauration de la stabilité sociale.

L’expérience de la crise sociopolitique de 2018 justifie les craintes. En effet, lors des élections présidentielles, les internautes ont été inondés par des flux de fake news et de discours haineux qui ont polarisé davantage les clivages sociaux et exacerbé les tensions sociopolitiques et tribales. Pour éviter que la désinformation et les campagnes d’influence puissent influencer le débat public et la cohésion sociale, #defyhatenow via son programme Africa Fact-checking Fellowship” (#AFFCameroon) organise la 2^e édition de la conférence All #AFFCameroon pour mobiliser toutes les parties prenantes pour œuvrer pour la stabilité sociopolitique, la bonne gouvernance, la démocratie et la paix au Cameroun durant la période pré-électorale, électorale et post-électorale. Cette conférence se veut donc être un point de départ pour une série d’activités qui seront menées en prélude aux élections au Cameroun en 2025 dont le but est de proposer des réponses préventives et réactives plus efficaces que d’autres afin d’orienter les efforts futurs pour la protection de l’intégrité électorale et la prévention de la violence électorale.

JUSTIFICATION

Africa Fact-checking Fellowship (#AFFCameroon) vise à promouvoir la vérification des faits, le journalisme de données et les droits numériques aux journalistes, blogueurs et créateurs de contenu en Afrique. Cette initiative apparaît dans un environnement marqué par une prolifération de propos mensongers, de fabrication de l’information, des photos, des vidéos, le deepfake, le partage de trolls, la création de faux comptes, l’arnaque en ligne, les discours calomniateurs, de haine et dangereux sur les réseaux sociaux à l’intention des individus et/ou des communautés inter-ethniques.

A ce jour, plus de 150 personnes résidant dans diverses régions du Cameroun ont reçu un accompagnement technique, pédagogique et fonctionnel pour la vérification avancée de l’information. L’objectif est de créer une masse critique de vérificateurs de faits, des combattants de l’information, de discours de haine en ligne et hors ligne, et de défenseurs des droits numériques.

Pour que le travail de ces professionnels de l’information ait un plus grand impact sur la paix, il importe donc d’une part de mutualiser les efforts de différents acteurs de la société; d’autre part de promouvoir les pratiques de vérification de l’information et l’éducation aux médias et l’information à une plus large audience (notamment aux sein des organisations et institutions publiques et privées) dans le but d’accroître pour une meilleure gouvernance et pour restaurer la confiance sociale. La lutte contre la désinformation est aujourd’hui un enjeu de promotion et de préservation de la liberté de la presse et d’expression, de la promotion de la démocratie et de la bonne gouvernance axée sur la Gouvernance ouverte, de la promotion de l’utilisation responsable des TIC pour un développement harmonieux et durable.

OBJECTIF PRINCIPAL :

Tirer les leçons des expériences passées liées aux menaces numériques notamment la désinformation et les discours haineux qui pèsent sur les élections en Afrique et au Cameroun, afin d’élaborer des orientations stratégiques fondées sur des données probantes sur la manière de réagir plus efficacement lors des prochaines élections.

OBJECTIFS SECONDAIRES

1. Réunir tous les boursiers des différentes cohortes de #AFFCameroon pour définir des nouvelles perspectives d’action et de coordination dans la lutte contre la désinformation de manière significative en collaborant avec les institutions publiques et privées.
2. Sensibiliser et engager davantage les pouvoirs publics, les organisations et les entreprises dans la lutte contre la désinformation.
3. Initier un plan d’action pour une réponse coordonnée contre la désinformation permettant de définir des ripostes conjointes entre les différentes parties prenantes.
4. Partager de nouvelles idées et pratiques permettant de faire progresser le fact-checking au Cameroun et en Afrique pour mieux combattre la désinformation et les discours haineux en ligne en période électorale.
5. Réduire le décalage entre les perceptions et la réalité observée sur le terrain et les enjeux de la désinformation sur la paix.
6. Promouvoir l’éducation aux médias et à l’information

DATE

La « ALL AFFCameroon Conférence » se tiendra du 27 & 28 Mars 2024 à l’Hôtel Djeuja Palace à Yaoundé

STRUCTURE

La « ALL AFFCameroon Conférence » s’articulera en différentes sessions : tables rondes en plénières, et des présentations.

 PARTICIPANTS ATTENDUS

• Institutions publiques et privées notamment ELECAM, le Sénat, l’Assemblée nationale et les représentations communales et religieuses.
• Les parties politiques
• Missions diplomatiques et chancelleries internationales
• Organisations internationales et régionales
• Organisations de la Société civile
• Professionnels et Associations de Médias main Stream et en ligne
• Les représentants de la Diaspora
• Les représentants des plateformes numériques.
• Boursiers #AFFCameroon

 RESULTATS ATTENDUS

• L’existence d’une synergie d’actions de tous les boursiers de #AFFCameroon
• La collaboration des organisations/institutions et les boursiers #AFFCameroon pour lutter contre la désinformation – mésinformation (l’intégration des boursiers dans les cellules de communication)
• La création d’une plateforme d’échange et de collaboration entre ELECAM, les parties politiques, les médias et les fact-checkers.
• L’ouverture des cellules de lutte contre la désinformation au sein des organisations/institutions invitées.
• la participation d’environ 300 acteurs concernés de près ou de loin aux questions de désinformation et de discours de haine
• La réalisation d’un plaidoyer auprès des autorités publiques pour lutter mieux contre la désinformation et pour favoriser un plus grand accès à l’information

THEMATIQUES

• Communication de crise et désinformation dans les médias
• Elections, médias et partis politiques
• Campagnes de communication vs campagne d’influence 
• Elections, bonne gouvernance et information
• Acteurs communautaires, réseaux sociaux et cohésion sociale
• Réseaux sociaux, influence et discours haineux
• Diaspora, désinformation et stabilité politique
• Désinformation et dialogue intercommunautaire et religieux
• Education aux médias et à l’information et élections
• La contribution des plateformes numériques durant les élections en Afrique.
• Stratégie de lutte contre la désinformation : La place de l’histoire, de la culture et des religions.
• Financements et soutiens aux initiatives locales de fact-checking

PLAN DE COMMUNICATION

La communication de cet évènement se déroulera sur deux dimensions :

• Communication digitale via les différents canaux en ligne de #defyhatenow, #defyhatenow_WCA, Civic Cameroon et partenaires
• Communication  traditionnelle via des reportages radios, télévisés et par la publication d’articles dans les principales presses écrites.

Hashtags: #AFFCameroon #Tech4Peace #Factchecking #ThinkB4UClick #HateFreeCameroon #defyhatenow #UnCamerounSansHaine #SafeDigitalSpace #ActionContreIntox #FakeFreeElections #AFFConf2024 #ElectionsansIntox

CONTEXT

On 15 February 2023, the “stories killers” investigative report by the Forbidden Stories consortium was revealed to the general public. It sheds light on the actions of a clandestine Israeli company specialising in influencing social media, which is said to have manipulated dozens of elections, particularly in Africa. Following the work of a team of journalists over several years, the world discovers the modus operandi of “Team Jorge”, which carried out more than twenty campaigns of disinformation on behalf of governments, politicians, companies and wealthy individuals in some African countries. Specialising in disinformation, cyber-espionage and the propagation of false narratives, Team Jorge has long been involved in creating fake accounts on social media, forging documents and marketing operations to restore the tarnished image of a leader or company. It also provides large-scale influence campaigns, personalised deep fakes and the placement of articles by recruiting journalists who have a major influence on the course of elections.

Nigeria in 2015 and Kenya in 2017 are perfect illustrations of how organisations like Cambridge Analytica can influence elections in Africa via Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. In a fragile context where digital access is developing in Africa and internet use is increasingly dynamic in Cameroon with the popularisation of the use of AI and the advent of influential social media such as Tik Tok, the presidential elections scheduled for 2025 appear to be a potential threat to building peace and restoring social stability.

The experience of the 2018 socio-political crisis justifies these fears; During the presidential elections, internet users were inundated by streams of fake news and hate speech, which further polarised social divisions and exacerbated socio-political and tribal tensions. To prevent misinformation and influence campaigns from influencing public debate and social cohesion, #defyhatenow via its Africa Fact-checking Fellowship”- #AFFCameroon programme is organising the 2nd edition of the All #AFFCameroon conference in the November 30th to December 1st, 2023, the maiden edition of the Conference sought to address the underlying factors leading to the proliferation of Hatespeech, generally taking the form of mis-disinformation both online and offline. This year, the two-day gathering seeks to mobilize relevant stakeholders in view of working towards socio-political stability, good governance, democracy and peace in Cameroon during the pre-electoral, electoral and post-electoral periods. This conference is therefore intended to be a starting point for a series of activities that will be carried out in the run-up to the elections in Cameroon in 2025, with the aim of proposing more effective preventive and reactive responses to guide future efforts to protect electoral integrity and prevent electoral violence.

JUSTIFICATION

Launched in January 2022, the Africa Fact-checking Fellowship– #AFFCameroon aims to promote fact-checking, data journalism and digital rights to journalists, bloggers and content creators in Africa. This initiative comes in an environment marked by a proliferation of misleading statements, fabrication of information, photos, videos, deepfake, troll sharing, creation of fake accounts, online scams, slanderous, hateful and dangerous discourse on social media targeting individuals and/or inter-ethnic communities.

To date, about 150 Fellowsliving and operating actively in eight out of the ten of Cameroon have received technical, educational and functional support for advanced information verification. The aim is to create a critical mass of fact-checkers, information fighters, online and offline hate speech and digital rights defenders.

To ensure that the work of these news professionals has a greater impact on peace, it is therefore important on one hand to combine the efforts of different stakeholders in society; and on the other hand to promote factchecking practices and media and information literacy to a wider audience (particularly within public and private organisations and institutions) with the aim of improving governance and restoring social trust. Combating disinformation is now a key issue in promoting and preserving freedom of the press and expression, promoting democracy and good governance based on Open Governance, and promoting the responsible use of ICTs for harmonious and sustainable development.

MAIN OBJECTIVE:

The multistakeholder meeting aims to draw lessons from past experience in identifying digital threats posed by mis-disinformation and hate speech to elections in Cameroon and Africa, in order to develop evidence-based strategic guidance on how to respond more effectively in future elections.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES

1. Bring together all the Fellows from  #AFFCameroon Cohort 1 to 8,  to collectively define new perspectives for coordinated actions  in the fight against disinformation in a meaningful way by collaborating with public and private institutions.
2. Raise awareness and increase the commitment of public authorities, organisations and corporations in the fight against disinformation.
3. Initiate an action plan for a coordinated response to disinformation, enabling joint responses to be defined between the various actors and stakeholders.
4. Share new ideas and practices to advance fact-checking in Cameroon and Africa to better combat disinformation and online hate speech during election periods.
5. Reduce the gap between perceptions and the reality observed on the ground and the challenges of disinformation on peace.
6. Promote media and information literacy.

DATE

The ALL AFFCameroon Conference will be held from 27 & 28 March 2024 at Hotel Djeuga Palace in Yaounde.

STRUCTURE

The “ALL AFFCameroon Conference” will be divided into different sessions: plenary round tables and presentations.

EXPECTED PARTICIPANTS

• Public and private institutions, in particular ELECAM, the Senate, the National Assembly and communal and religious representatives.
• Political parties
• Diplomatic missions and international chancelleries
• International and regional organisations
• Civil society organisations
• Mainstream and online media professionals and associations
• Representatives of the Diaspora
• Representatives of digital platforms.
• Fellows #AFFCameroon

EXPECTED RESULTS

• The existence of a synergy of actions between all #AFFCameroon fellows
• Collaboration between organisations/institutions and #AFFCameroon fellows to combat misinformation (integration of fellows into communication units)
• The creation of a platform for exchange and collaboration between ELECAM, political parties, the media and fact-checkers.
• The opening of anti-disinformation units within the organisations/institutions invited.
• The participation of some 300 actors directly or indirectly concerned with issues of disinformation and hate speech.
• Advocacy with public authorities to combat misinformation more effectively and promote greater access to information.

THEMATICS

• Crisis communication and misinformation within the media
• Elections, media and political parties
• Communication campaigns vs. influencer campaigns 
• Elections, good governance and information
• Community actors players, social media networks and social cohesion
• Social media networks, influence and hate speech
• Diaspora, disinformation and political stability
• Disinformation and inter-community and interfaith religious dialogue
• Media and information literacy and elections
• The contribution of digital platforms during elections in Africa.
• Strategy to combat disinformation: the place of history, culture and religion.
• Funding and support for local fact-checking initiatives

COMMUNICATION PLAN

Communication for this event will be two fold:

• Digital communication via the various online channels of #defyhatenow, #defyhatenow_WCA, Civic Cameroon and partners.
• Traditional communication via radio and television reports and publishing articles in the main print media.

Hashtags: #AFFConf2024 #AFFCameroon #Tech4Peace #Factchecking #ThinkB4UClick #HateFreeCameroon #defyhatenow #UnCamerounSansHaine #SafeDigitalSpaces #ActionContreIntox  #ElectionsSansDesinfox

Civic Watch is currently taking part in a two-day Forum on Digital Security and Social Cohesion in Bamako, Mali. This invitation of Meta is coming after a 3-day training that took place in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in August 2022 with key digital actors of french speaking African states using ICT to mitigate violence and hate for peace  The training was organized by Meta and Search for Common Ground, with the aim of building digital peace in Africa. In continuation of the project, organizations met in Mali, for the Bamako Forum on Digital Security and Social Cohesion.

The Bamako Forum brought together researchers, civil society actors, policymakers, and digital and social cohesion experts, including Civic Watch, represented by Tchiengue Donald, #defyhatenow Digital Project Coordinator. The Forum aims to examine ways of amplifying the analyses and experiences of African scholars and civil society actors to support policy decision-making in the face of increased fueling of conflicts and polarization, ills that come with the misuse of social media platforms. The forum is a stitch in time as it will lead to creating a platform for exchange, dialogue, and planning to build a sustainable partnership in research and advocacy on digitalization, conflicts, and social cohesion in the Sahel area. That way, there will be a better followup by the members for the development of Africa. 

The forum is intended to be a starting point for regional initiatives to tackle online challenges to peace and social cohesion in the Sahel area. To this end, with the support of Meta, an online campaign named #TamTam2Paix will be launched in the coming days with several digital actors from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, Chad and Cameroon to amplify the messages of peace and togetherness in the light of current socio-political and geopolitical stakes. 

Africa is experiencing rapid growth in internet access, which allows the population access to social media, which has become risky to its consumers due to the kind of information shared. There is a need to create awareness of the dangers surrounding the irresponsible use of these digital tools, which are often used in fueling conflicts and polarization, spreading fake news, incitement to violence, extremist exploitation of digital tools, and fueling hate speech on social media, thus affecting social cohesion and stability across the region.

It is important to note that despite these disadvantages faced, the internet has positive sides that can be explored for sustainable peace and social cohesion. Hence, the forum is for policymakers to better understand the links between digital tool access and conflicts. The Bamako Forum was established with the aim of fostering a lasting partnership between African scholars and practitioners to support National, Regional, and International policies regarding emerging digital issues. Emerging from consultations in the Sahel and West Africa involving various regional actors. The initiative encourages cross-sector collaboration between researchers, practitioners, and policymakers who will combine their efforts to ensure the mitigation of these vices that are disturbing the peace and social cohesion in the African continent. During the forum, the participants recognized the profoundly transformative power of ICT and its significant impact on lives and are therefore committed to following the principles and objectives stated in the Bamako Declaration of Digital and Social Cohesion of September 20, 2023.

As part of Civic Watch’s mandate which is to reduce conflict online and offline, it is a milestone in joining other stakeholders in Africa to make Africans aware of the instabilities brought about by the misuse of digital tools. It will be more to reiterate to social media users the need to #ThinkBUClick while browsing so as to stop fake news, hate speech and violent extremism via the use of digital tools. 

Ngala Desmond, Cameroon Country Project Manager, responding after presentation of the prize in Yaounde. Details below.

#defyhatenow initiative gets it first recognition as a peace promotion organisation. As the Project Manager for Cameroon, how did you receive the news?

Honestly, this is one of the greatest surprises we have had this year. In fact, it had never crossed my mind or that of my team that our work would be appreciated so soon. Our focus has been on creating impact and touching as many lives as possible. We even judge ourselves thinking we do not even do as much work as we ought to. On that fateful August 12, I left Yaounde in the morning, hoping to be in Limbe in time for the 18 Annual General Meeting of the Cameroon Association of Media Professionals – CAMP. This is the third consecutive year we are engaging the members through capacity building sessions. I decided this time around to accompany the team by attending in person. Unfortunately for reasons beyond my control, I could only reach Douala at night. It was too late for me to travel to Limbe. But two of my colleagues, Derick and Raissa had gone ahead, they did my presentation on cross cultural communication, and later in the evening, they both received the award on our behalf. I was particularly thrilled to receive this news, just like everyone else, coming from the team. I doubt if it would have felt the same if I had been the one to break the news to them. I used this story just to illustrate what we do at #defyhatenow. We work selflessly, without even think of any immediate reward. Since it is team work, we are able and ready to step in at any time irrespective of the person initially assigned for the task. Even in my absence, my colleagues, though unprepared, were able to fill sit in for me and bring back such wonderful news. Throughout our work, we see the same mindset in communities where we have engaged persons.  Some of them even go extra miles to more than we had expected. The news was a great surprise, but at the same time, it is a great encouragement for the entire team. 

This is the organisation’s first award after close to five years of relentless efforts in peacebuilding. Should such an accolade not have come earlier? 

My answer to this question is a big no! #defyhatenow works on mobilizing civic action against hatespeech, we do not work on our own, but we need to build a community around our values. #defyhatenow is not a project like others that belongs to the core team, absolutely no! It is a concept, an ideology, a mind-set, in fact, a way of life. We all need to take a personal commitment to say no to hate. We all have a role to play both at individual and collective levels to build a peaceful society. This requires time, resources and coordinated efforts to mould or transform mind-sets. So in my opinion, this award has come faster that we could have imagined. It is indeed a good thing to see that our work has garnered support both at home and abroad within such a short period. Receiving this surprised VIIMMA 2023 Award is a big tap on the shoulder. This is a clarion call from the external community requiring us to take the message of peace to the furthest parts of Cameroon. The news came at a time when we were hosting our first activity in the East Region, targeting displaced persons and host communities in Garoua-Boulai.  This takes us to nine regions out of 10 where we have active community relays. We are looking forward to covering all 58 Divisions, and why not, have at least one active peacebuilder in each of the 360 subdivisions of the country. 

So far, we have been involved in different national and regional discussions where we share our experience. Building community peace weavers particularly in the crisis-hit North West and South West Regions has not been easy. But wherever we have been, doors have always been opened to us. Community members always received us with a lot of warmth. So this award makes us feel like it is now that real work begins. As we all know, the higher you go, the greater the expectations too. Henceforth, we have a solemn responsibility to live up to it!

What does the VIIMMA 2023 signify to your team and the entire #defyhatenow community?

This award is an eye opener, an encouragement and at the same time a reminder of how much work we still have to do. This pushes us to cover more terrain and not rest on our laurels, especially as we see evolving trends in the spread of hatespeech and disinformation. To be very honest, we cannot take credit for this alone, because without the supportive #defyhatenow community in Cameroon and abroad, we would not be celebrating today. I wish to particularly thank the project initiator, r0g_agency for open culture and critical transformation for introducing the initiative in Cameroon. This award is timely as it matches the 10^th anniversary of r0g_agency. For a project of such a magnitude that started timidly to have grown this far, we can never thank the German Government enough for entrusting such a huge yet humbly task to us. The financial support and backing via the Federal Foreign Office has spurred other diplomatic missions, the government of Cameroon and international organisations to rally behind us in our collective strife for a #HateFreeCameroon. This adds to the endless list of youth, women, media, grassroot organisations that are able to own their peace processes and champion local initiatives themselves. We equally wish to acknowledge policy makers, municipal, traditional and religious authorities that did not only receive us, but willingly granted us access to their communities. These are the real owners of this beautiful accolade. Every #defyhatenow community member should feel free to visit us, see and touch the award. It belongs to us all!

What are some of the milestone achievements of #defyhatenow in Cameroon, which you believe must have attracted this recognition? 

The very first milestone is that the core team travels less than before (laughs!). I know some people reading this may not fully understand. When we started this initiative in Cameroon sometime in 2018, we were testing the waters and there was no guarantee things would work. We did not even know what exactly to do, since there were so many areas that needed our attention. After a test period, later in 2019, we had a clearer picture of what to do, though we needed people to accompany us. A few activities here and there with some key stakeholders helped us to shape ideas in a more organised way. Even when we sat to conceive the first #defyhatenow Social Media Hatespeech Mitigation Field Guide, we were adapting it from the version produced in South Sudan. So it was more of learning and adjustments through practice. And then came the year 2020, just when we imagined we had gathered enough momentum to take a leap, but Covid-19 broke out, bringing everything to a standstill. We had to make a difficult decision whether to continue or stop. Most of the team members we have today joined us at this particular trying time. And as the team lead, I felt a lot of relief when I realised they embraced the project as seriously as if their lives depended on it. So between June 2020 and December 2021, we had to spend countless days on the road, sleepless night working to ensure the project’s full implantation. We had to lay the solid foundation, for the rest to follow.

Today, when we look back at all the work, we are glad to see more people championing peace initiatives in their communities. It is easier us for to send resources to remote communities and have them run activities on their own. After attending our capacity building and mentorship sessions, participants have surprised us with greater results on the ground. We ran a series of regional workshops in Buea, Bamenda and Yaounde where over 150 Journalists were trained. Some were later selected for a mentorship phase on conflict-sensitive reporting. Based on the success, we extended the project to broadcasters in Pidgin, grouping 50 community radios and televisions. We got very interesting feedback from these discussions, which served as the basis for a one-day Media Leaders’ Forum we organised in Yaounde on April 28, 2023. Close to 50 participants made of publishers, owners and editorial members of print and audio-visual press outlets held talks on upholding free-speech and countering hatespeech, after which they produced a statement as a way forward. 

Closely linked to our #Media4Peace programme is the Africa Factchecking Fellowship- #AFFCameroon. This is a quarterly hands-on training for journalists, bloggers and Civil Society leaders. We realised that Social Media serves as a primary source of information for both new digital and mainstream media. As such, it is necessary to enhance the media and information literacy of content creators. Cohort 8 is currently in session, thus making about 140 Fellows trained this far. While they participate in a national programme of this nature, we try to gain insights to questions relating to mis/disinformation and hatespeech in different parts of the country. Cohort 6 was specifically focused on the three northern regions: Adamaoua, North and Far North. Cohort 7 was exclusively made of Fellows from the North West and South West Regions. You will be surprised to discover the diverse forms, manifestations and effects of disinformation and hatespeech in these communities, based on their locally realities. We also engaged schools through frequent #PenNotGun campaigns, teaching young people to develop peacebuilding skills at an early age. 

In addition to online data analysis and response, we also build the capacities of community-based groups. We see youth-led, media, women-oriented, sociocultural and religious groups incorporating our Field Guide as a conflict mitigation tool in their daily work is an accomplishment. Through these community relays, our message of peaceful coexistence among people is carried to the nooks and crannies of Cameroon.

What gives us greater joy today is seeing positive response and acceptance from host communities. We also get numerous calls and invitations to participate in event and discussions, thus contributing to national efforts aimed at curbing the spread of hatespeech and violence. We work with both public and private actors, which explain why our peacebuilding efforts are attracting public appreciation. We saw this collaboration particularly in November 2022 when we organised our first national conference on disinformation. The same response was seen in May 2023, when we hosted a national symposium on hatespeech in collaboration with the Department of Sociology in the University of Yaounde 1 and the Pan-African University. But our overall goal is for these persons we have touched directly or indirect be it online and offline to carry the work further in their respective domains.   

What are the organisation’s prospects in this year and beyond?

This year including those to come, we will focus on maintaining an upward trend. We aim to leverage the successes of the past, learn lessons from our shortcomings and define new strategies to climb higher. We are re-launching the conflict sensitive reporting training, because we have realised that both digital and mainstream media space is not yet hate-free. This time around the call for applications is nationwide to get as many different experiences as possible. We also continue to support community-based organisations in their use of the Field Guide. Hard copies of the resource packages have bee, distributed and are being used in at least 35 out of the 58 Divisions of Cameroon. Within the Africa Factchecking Fellowship , we are looking at new trends especially the use of AI and how it impacts the information chain. Future cohorts will have to work on such and related topics which will enhance their professional careers. This year is indeed meant for celebration as r0g_agency, #defyhatenow’s initiator clocks 10. We will launch the Cameroon Diaspora Dialogues Panel Discussion on 23 September, to engage with the diaspora in an effort to bring about conflict transformation and resolution. Both at home and abroad, we will leave no stone unturned as we collective strife for a #HateFreeCameroon. 

Interviewed by Laure Nganlay

We are excited to announce that the Rainforest Center for Policy Research, Civic Watch Cameroon, and the r0g_agency  for open culture and critical transformation invite applications for the third Cohort of Conflict Sensitive Reporting training. This training is part of the #defyhatenow_Cameroon project. 

This training program is designed to provide journalists and bloggers with the necessary skills and knowledge to report on conflict issues responsibly and ethically, while also promoting peace and dialogue within their communities. The training program will cover a range of topics, including the principles and standards of conflict-sensitive journalism, the crucial role of media in conflict prevention and resolution, the various challenges and risks associated with reporting on conflict, and the best practices and tools for producing accurate, balanced, and constructive stories. Additionally, the training program will offer opportunities for networking and collaboration among journalists and bloggers from different regions and backgrounds. 

This training is available to practising journalists and bloggers interested in covering conflict-related topics in Cameroon. To be considered, applicants must possess at least two years of professional experience in journalism or blogging and demonstrate their commitment to ethical and responsible reporting. Fluency in English or French is required, as the training will be conducted in both languages. The online portion of the training will take place from September 25th to 29th, 2023, followed by an in-person training for selected participants from November 25th to 29th, 2023. The location for the in-person training will be communicated at a later time. 

The organisers will cover the costs of travel, accommodation and meals for the selected participants to the in-person training. 

To apply for the training, please complete the online application form by September 15^th, 2023.

The application form can be accessed through this link: https://forms.office.com/r/gZe8MuMNCs.

You will need to provide your personal details, professional background, motivation for attending the training, and two samples of your previous work on conflict issues. The selection committee will review the applications and notify the successful candidates by September 20^th, 2023.  

For more information about the training, please visit our website, www.rainforestcentre.org or contact us at info@rainforestcenter.org.