Renewing the Collective Commitment Against Hate Speech and Xenophobia in Cameroon

The National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism convened Civil Society Organisations Across Cameroon to officially renew their partnership

On 12 August 2026, at the Yaoundé Conference Centre, Civic Watch joined the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism (NCPBM) and other Civil Society Organisations in renewing their commitment to a mission of strengthening the fight against hate speech and xenophobia in Cameroon.

For Civic Watch, this renewal goes beyond the continuation of a partnership and reaffirms a belief that has guided our work since we joined the National Coalition in 2022 that peace and social cohesion cannot be built by one institution or sector alone but require sustained collaboration among public institutions, civil society, community leaders, the media, women, youth and citizens.

Since joining the National Coalition, Civic Watch has organised conversations on hate speech, xenophobia and social cohesion beyond formal spaces and into communities and digital platforms.

For four years, we have reached approximately 10,000 people both online and offline through workshops, community dialogues, sensitisation activities and online campaigns. These activities have brought together people from different backgrounds and walks of life, creating spaces where participants can openly discuss tolerance, peaceful coexistence, responsible communication and the dangers of hate speech.

Among those engaged in the North West Region are community leaders from diverse cultural backgrounds, youth, women, journalists and members of religious communities, members of political parties, chiefs, imams and members of Muslim communities, who highlighted the importance of such initiatives in strengthening social cohesion and peaceful coexistence. Community leaders from different cultural backgrounds also expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to learn more about tolerance, social cohesion, hate speech and living together despite differences. These engagements have reinforced an important lesson which complies with the fact that people are willing to be part of the solution when they are given the space, knowledge and tools to understand the problem and act together.

Civic Watch’s work has also focused on the role of the media in shaping public conversations. Approximately 80 media professionals have been engaged through capacity-building workshops and sensitisation activities aimed at encouraging more responsible and conflict-sensitive reporting. The goal has not simply been to tell journalists what to avoid , but further encouraged them to recognise the influence they carry.

It should be noted that any headline, image, social media post or unverified claim can reach thousands of people within minutes. When information is inaccurate or inflammatory, it can deepen mistrust and fuel division, and when it is verified, responsibly and carefully framed, it can contribute to build trust and a peaceful coexistence.

Through these engagements, media professionals have been encouraged to verify information before sharing it (#ThinkB4UClick), avoid amplifying harmful narratives, and understand how reporting can contribute to reducing tensions in communities. The aim is for journalists who are the watchdogs to become both agents of peace within their media houses, in the communities they serve and in the digital spaces where information now travels faster.

The fight against hate speech cannot remain confined to conference rooms which explains why Civic Watch has been actively working with community media that use local languages, including Pidgin, to effectively reach audiences in ways that are accessible and relevant to them. These platforms provide an opportunity to discuss the dangers of hate speech and xenophobia using languages and communication channels that communities understand and trust.

A #HateFreeCameroon cannot be built by speaking only to those who already understand the issue. It requires reaching communities where they are, listening to their experiences, recognising their concerns and empowering them to become part of the response.

The progress made so far does not mean the challenges have disappeared. Communities in the North West region continue to face difficult realities, including violence, loss of lives, displacement, insecurity and other factors that can worsen mistrust and create fertile ground for harmful narratives. In such an environment, the fight against hate speech and xenophobia requires consistency. Civic Watch recognises that a workshop alone cannot transform a community, just as one awareness campaign cannot eliminate hate speech.

It requires repeated conversations, trusted community voices, responsible media, informed citizens and partnerships that continue beyond individual activities or projects. This is why the renewal of the coalition with the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism is important. It creates an opportunity to build on what has already been achieved, learn from what has worked, address emerging challenges and strengthen collective action.

For Civic Watch, sustainability is not simply about how many people attend a workshop.

It is about what happens after the workshop.

It is a journalist who pauses to verify information before publishing (#Media4Peace).

It is a community leader who challenges discriminatory language instead of allowing it to spread (HateFreeCommunities).

It is a young person who thinks twice before sharing inflammatory content online (Youth4Peace).

It is a religious leader who uses their platform to encourage tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

It is a woman who speaks up against narratives that divide her community (#Women4Peace).

It is a citizen who understands that freedom of expression also comes with responsibility.

These individual actions may appear small, but collectively they can help change the information environment and strengthen social cohesion.

Civic Watch believes strongly in the power of collaboration and our work with the NCPBM and other members of the national coalition is part of a broader commitment to building partnerships that address the root causes and drivers of hate speech and xenophobia. We have also engaged with the National Communication Council and other stakeholders in efforts to address misinformation and promote more responsible use of social media and communication in the North West region and in Cameroon in general. These partnerships remind us that the response to hate speech must be holistic. Government institutions have a role. Civil society has a role. Community leaders have a role. Religious leaders have a role. The media has a role. Young people and women have a role. And every citizen has a role. No single actor can do it alone.

The renewal of the coalition is therefore not the end of a journey, but a renewed starting point and Civic Watch remains committed to strengthening community engagement, supporting responsible journalism, promoting fact-checking and media literacy, creating inclusive spaces for dialogue, and working with communities to mitigate hate speech, xenophobia and misinformation. The experience of the past years has shown us that consistent engagement can build trust, dialogue can create understanding, and collaboration can turn awareness into action. Our vision is a Cameroon where differences in culture, language, religion or background are not used as reasons for division, but recognised as part of the country’s diversity. Hence building such a Cameroon will not happen overnight. But every verified story, every responsible post, every community dialogue, every young person empowered to question harmful information, and every leader who chooses tolerance over division moves us one step closer to building #HateFreeCommunities and a #HateFreeCameroon. The fight against hate speech is a shared responsibility and the commitment to peace must be shared too.

Civic Watch is ready to continue that journey to a peaceful and #HateFreeCameroon.

#NoToHateSpeech #NoToXenophobia #CivicWatch #defyhatenow #Media4Peace