Ahead of Women's Day: Omam Esther Calls for Stronger Protection for Women in Conflict-Affected Regions

Omam Esther, Executive Director, Reach Out Cameroon.

As the world prepares to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, 2026, Omam Njomo Esther Moeneni Na Eringo, a global peace champion and leading voice for women’s rights, has urged communities and leaders to look beyond celebration and confront the persistent realities being faced by women and girls.

In a message released ahead of the annual observance, Eringo who serves as Executive Director of Reach Out Cameroon and Country Chair for Cameroon in the G100 Mentoring & Motivation initiative called for deeper reflection and renewed commitment to protecting women from violence and discrimination.

“Every year on the 8th of March, women come together in celebration,” Eringo said. “We wear our beautiful fabrics, gather in solidarity, and honour the strength and resilience of women everywhere. Women deserve joy, laughter and visibility.”

But she stressed that celebration alone cannot mask the harsh realities many women continue to face.

A Stark Reminder Behind the Celebrations

While communities around the world organize parades, events and gatherings, Oman Esther highlighted that many women and girls remain trapped in cycles of violence and inequality.

“Somewhere a woman is being beaten. Somewhere a young girl is being forced into an early marriage she never chose. Somewhere a woman is mutilated or killed simply because she is a woman,” she lamented.

According to her, rising cases of gender-based violence, conflict-related sexual violence, femicide, and forced early marriage remain deeply troubling, particularly in conflict-affected regions.

In Cameroon, she pointed specifically to the North West Region, South West Region, and Far North Region, where ongoing instability has heightened the vulnerability of women and girls.

“In these communities, women are not just dealing with the pressures of daily survival,” she explained. “They are also facing violence that threatens their dignity, safety and future.”

Urgent Need for Survivor Support

The global peace champion emphasized that beyond the statistics are real human stories of daughters, mothers and sisters whose lives are permanently altered by violence. She warned that one of the most pressing challenges is the lack of strong support systems for survivors.

“There is an urgent need for psychosocial support services, protection mechanisms, and community systems that help survivors heal and rebuild their lives,” she said.

Advocates, she noted, must also push for stronger laws and better enforcement to ensure that policies designed to protect women are not merely symbolic. “Protection for women and girls must exist not only on paper but in practice,” Omam Esther reiterated.

Turning Celebration into Responsibility

As the world marks International Women's Day, the Reach Out Cameroon Executive Director encouraged individuals, institutions and governments to view the day not only as a celebration but also as a moment of responsibility.

“Let us celebrate the progress women have made,” she said. “But let us not forget that somewhere another woman is still fighting for her life, her dignity and her rights.”

She ended her message with a call for collective action. “A call for protection. A call for justice. A call for a world where no woman is left behind,” adding that "true progress will only be realized when every woman and every girl can live free from violence, with dignity, opportunity and hope".