The Region of the rising sun from 29 to 31 August will host a #defyhatenow activity within the framework of the implementation of #FIELDGUIDECameroon. 

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Context 

On 24 June 2022, #defyhatenow officially launched the second edition of the Social Media Hatespeech Mitigation Field Guide. The resource package aims to raise awareness on, develop counter-narratives, and mitigate violence related to online hate speech and induced conflict in Cameroon. The field tool is designed for youth-led, women-centre and grassroots organisations. The peacebuilding kit offers strategies to be used for online and offline campaigns by actors and stakeholders involved in peace processes. Divided into six chapters that cover a specific aspect of the conflict and peacebuilding process, the field guide acts as a base of action on social media-induced hate speech awareness to tackle conflict, support media literacy and address issues of migration and displacement.

“The Social Media Hate Speech Mitigation Field Guide is not just a document but it guides community leaders, youths, cultural activists, influencers to educate and mitigate directed online hatespeech and induced conflict within and outside affected regions in Cameroon. I am particularly delighted to see youth, community leaders, grassroots organisations and civil society stakeholders using the guide within an information literacy framework. Bridging gaps of knowledge and awareness of social media mechanisms is capital to achieving this document’s goal within our communities online and offline peacebuilders,” Ngala Desmond, Cameroon Country Project Manager, describing the resource package.

Between June and December 2022, the Field Guide was implemented in 33 of the 58 divisions of Cameroon’s ten regions, including the Far North, Centre, Littoral, North West, and South West. Over 70 organisations from these five regions were trained and receive a hard copy of the Field Guide as a conflict resolution tool to support their peacebuilding work locally. In light of the above #defyhatenow gladly engages peacebuilders in the East Region of Cameroon, thus covering more terrain in our collective strive towards a #HateFreeCameroon.

Justification

Cultural differences between Cameroon’s different ethnic groups, and also between Anglophones and Francophones, have spurred negative stereotypes in Cameroon. These stereotypes, along with escalating linguistic tensions, have given rise to violence and hate speech. This project’s aim is to teach community members how to combat online hate speech, while spreading messages of peace, tolerance and reconciliation.

In the East Region of Cameroon, refugee families and the host community continue to be weakened by social and economic changes, health crisis, inequalities and human rights violations on social media, which are causes of online community and tribal conflicts and by extension factors of the underdevelopment of communities. It is for this reason that, ASSPROSOCIAL, with funding from #defyhatenow, is joining forces with the rest of the community in Garoua-Boulai to carry out a series of information sessions. In this particular context marked by the crisis linked to Covid19, to raise awareness on the dangers of online hate speech, gender-based violence and human rights violations.

In order to set up concerted strategies and action plans to combat hate speech, ASSPROSOCIAL, with the support of the local authorities. This project is supported by the decentralised services of the Ministries of Social Affairs, Youth Affairs and Civic Education and that of Women Empowerment and the Family. For three days, a community-based campaign ranging from awareness-raising, advocacy and group discussions in view of engaging local actors in contributing to a digital world free of hate speech. The Field Guide resource package will be used as the main working tool to enhance community resilience to hatespech and other social vices.  

General objective 

From 29 to 31 August, 2023, selected participants from cross section of the community will gain skills on ways to strengthen community protection approach in a comprehensive way by supporting local authorities in planning interventions actions against hate speech. 

Specific objectives 

–  Raise community awareness of the responsible use of social media platforms

– Raise community awareness of the role of families in the fight against discriminatory and tribal language inciting hatred on social networks.

– Ask community leaders about their role in managing hate speech in the community.

– Organise advocacy with community leaders and local authorities to end physical and psychological violence online and promote a world where the physical and moral integrity of communities is respected.

– Engage young people in the search for ways to combat evil and disinformation.

– Educate teenagers about hate speech, its physical and psychological consequences and the actions they can take to mitigate it in their communities.

– Create an environment that fosters the right to freedom of expression and gender equality.

Expected Outcomes 

• Community members are made aware of hate speech
• Advocacy with community leaders and local authorities is organised
• Young people are trained on the consequences of hate speech and the legal measures against hate speech and conflict.
• The community is better able to use social networks for constructive purposes, peace and development.

Target beneficiaries

The main beneficiaries of these activities are, among others

• The host and refugee community (women, girls, men and boys)
• Community leaders
• Administrative authorities 

Methodology

Under the coordination of DAJEC and CESO, the activities will take place from 09 to 12 August 2023, and will include a series of community-centred activities.. These activities are designed to popularise information on the situation of refugees in the country. The aim of these activities is to disseminate information about the fight against hate speech. The aim is to eliminate gender-based social inequalities through hate speech on social networks.

About #defyhatenow

#defyhatenow initiative works on providing community-based and data-driven solutions to the problem of hate speech, disinformation and misinformation. Our work focuses on creating a framework for increasing trust between stakeholders through mobilizing civic action against all forms of hate speech and incitement to violence. #defyhatenow seeks to support the voices and actions of citizens working against online induced conflict within and outside affected regions by bringing different stakeholders into a peace-oriented media and information literacy framework.

To know more about our Social Media Mitigation Field Guide Click here here

The Pidgin version of the Field Guide Posters is accessible here