For over three years, Cameroon has been facing a socio-political crisis which has affected mainly the anglophone regions of the country. The crisis which started as peaceful protest from lawyers and teachers who were demanding equal treatment in their respective vocations escalated when, rather than invite them to the dialogue table, the government chose a military response which led to the loss of innocent lives and total outrage amongst the peoples in these regions. As a result of this, thousands have lost their lives, hundreds of thousands are displaced both internally and externally in neighboring Nigeria, and hundreds of villages have been razed to the ground in different parts of the affected regions.
Based on a survey conducted amongst internally displaced persons (IDPs) and their hosts in different regions of Cameroon, this paper focuses on the psycho-social impact on young persons. It begins by zooming in on this dire reality through stories of affected populations before proceeding to discuss the immediate and long-term implications of the crisis on this very important part of the population. It shall conclude with practical recommendations for sustainable assistance to internally displaced persons and action points for key stakeholders in Cameroon.
Delphine Fanfon is an affiliate of the Global Engagement Network on Internal Displacement in Africa. Originally from Cameroon, Delphine holds a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership with an emphasis on Global Consulting from Regent University and two master’s degrees – one in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary and another in Counseling from Regent University.
