Hidden in Silence: Women with Disabilities in Cameroon’s Conflict Zone Face Heightened Risk of Gender-Based Violence

Nwiemalu Josephine Nsono, One of the Authors of the Research Work.

(In light with this year's International Women's Day theme "Rights, Justice, and Action for All Women", Laarry Times, decided to shine the light on one of the authors who conceived and designed the study. She is a gender justice specialist, a GBV expert and a child protection expert with over 15years of experience. She is the Gender and Safeguarding Supervisor for CBCHS and Founder of PEARL Foundation Africa.)

In the conflict-affected Northwest Region of Cameroon, the intersection of war, disability, and gender inequality is creating an invisible crisis. A recent qualitative study published in BMC Women’s Health reveals that women and girls with disabilities in the region face an elevated risk of gender-based violence (GBV) often without the language, support systems, or institutional pathways needed to seek justice.

The research, conducted by "Chirac, A.J., Mobit, M.O., Nwiemalu, N.J. et al. A qualitative study of gender-based violence against women with disabilities in conflict-affected North West Cameroon. BMC Women's Health (2026), offers one of the few in-depth examinations of how conflict conditions amplify the vulnerability of women with disabilities in Cameroon. 

Through interviews with eleven participants recruited via Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services facilities, the study exposes the layered social and structural barriers that keep abuse hidden.

Violence That Often Goes Unrecognized

For many participants, the definition of violence itself was shaped by prevailing social norms. Several women described recognizing sexual violence only in its most extreme form forced sexual intercourse while other abusive behaviours were rarely acknowledged as violations.

Neglect, emotional abuse, and exploitation within caregiving relationships were often normalized. In households where women with disabilities depend heavily on relatives for daily assistance, these power dynamics blur the line between care and control.

Researchers say this limited understanding reflects deeply rooted cultural attitudes toward both gender and disability. When violence is normalized within caregiving structures, survivors may not identify their experiences as abuse, leaving perpetrators unchallenged.

Dependence and Isolation

Dependence on family members and caregivers emerged as another major risk factor. Many women in the study relied on others for mobility, financial support, or communication, which made reporting abuse particularly difficult when the perpetrator was someone within their immediate environment.

Isolation compounded the problem. Conflict in the Northwest Region has displaced communities, disrupted social networks, and restricted mobility conditions that disproportionately affect people with disabilities.

Participants also described pressure from family members to remain silent to protect the family’s reputation. In small, closely knit communities, reporting abuse can carry the risk of social exclusion or family conflict.

Stigma and Fear of Retaliation

Even when survivors recognized abuse, fear often prevented them from coming forward. Interviewees described anticipating disbelief, ridicule, or community judgment if they spoke out.

Shame and stigma surrounding sexual violence remain powerful deterrents in many communities. For women with disabilities, the stigma can be even more severe, as stereotypes sometimes portray them as either asexual or unreliable witnesses.

Some participants also feared retaliation from perpetrators or their families. Without reliable protection mechanisms, the risk of reporting abuse can appear greater than remaining silent.

Barriers to Justice

Structural obstacles further limit access to justice. Several participants said they were unaware of formal reporting channels or lacked confidence in the police and judicial system.

Even when survivors knew where to report, practical barriers such as inaccessible buildings, transportation challenges, or communication difficulties could make seeking help nearly impossible.

The result, researchers conclude, is a cycle in which abuse remains hidden and perpetrators face few consequences.

The Role of Conflict

The ongoing conflict in Cameroon’s Northwest Region has intensified these challenges. Displacement, insecurity, and strained public services have weakened community support systems and made access to healthcare, legal aid, and social services more difficult.

For women with disabilities, who already experience social marginalization, these disruptions deepen existing inequalities.

Toward Disability-Inclusive Solutions

The study’s authors emphasize that addressing gender-based violence in conflict settings requires solutions that recognize the unique experiences of women with disabilities.

They call for disability-inclusive GBV prevention programs that address stigma and challenge harmful social norms, survivor-centred support services accessible to people with different types of disabilities, clear and accessible reporting pathways for survivors seeking justice, and community education efforts to reduce stigma and encourage accountability.

Such approaches, researchers argue, are essential not only for protecting women with disabilities but also for strengthening broader responses to gender-based violence in humanitarian settings.

Breaking the Silence

The voices captured in the study reveal a reality that often remains unseen in both research and policy discussions. Women with disabilities in conflict-affected Cameroon are navigating violence at the intersection of social exclusion, gender inequality, and armed conflict.

By documenting their experiences, the researchers hope to bring greater attention to a group whose suffering frequently goes unnoticed and to encourage interventions that ensure no survivor remains invisible.

As humanitarian organizations and policymakers seek solutions to gender-based violence in crisis zones, the study underscores a critical message that insists that without inclusive strategies, the most marginalized women will continue to face abuse in silence.