Cameroon was represented at the Fifth Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policy in Madrid, Spain, where global leaders, diplomats, researchers, and civil society actors gathered to discuss democracy, peace, security, and inclusive governance.
Representing Cameroon at a high-level roundtable on "The Unique Contribution of African Women to Mediation," Omam Esther Eringo Cha Ekombo, Executive Director of Reach Out Cameroon, joined women peacebuilders from Mali, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to share experiences from conflict and post-conflict settings across Africa.
The session was attended by José Manuel Albares, Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation, highlighting growing international recognition of women's leadership in mediation and peacebuilding.
Drawing on Cameroon’s ongoing conflict context, the global peace champion highlighted the role of grassroots women in promoting dialogue, building trust, preventing violence, and fostering reconciliation within communities.
"Peace is not only negotiated in conference rooms," she said. "Sometimes it begins around a pot of soup, a community gathering, or a conversation between women determined to prevent violence and preserve the social fabric of their communities."
Participants exchanged lessons from mediation efforts, community dialogue initiatives, and women-led conflict prevention programs, emphasizing the importance of local knowledge and community leadership in building sustainable peace.
The conference also provided an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between governments, international organizations, and civil society actors working to advance women's participation in peace and security processes.
It is worth noting that Omam Esther is a Cameroonian peacebuilder, mediator, and humanitarian leader who serves as Executive Director of Reach Out Cameroon, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Continental Women Business Association in Africa (CONWOBAA), G100 Cameroon Country Chair for Mentoring and Motivation, and a Civil Society Board Member of the Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). She is also a doctoral candidate in diplomacy and conflict management.
Cameroon's participation at the conference underscored the importance of locally led peacebuilding efforts and the growing recognition of women as key actors in conflict prevention, mediation, and sustainable peacebuilding.
@Laarry Times
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