Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Information received from Cameroon on follow-up to the concluding observations on its fourth periodic report *

[Date received: 9 April 2021]

I.Introduction

1.This Report is drafted following the recommendations made on 25 March 2019 by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights after the examination of Cameroon’s 4th Periodic Report on 20 and 21 February 2019.

2.The drafting of the Report was inclusive. It is the result of concerted discussions between the relevant stakeholders involved in the promotion and protection of Human Rights in Cameroon, that is, Public Administrations, Independent Administrative Authorities, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and the Cameroon Human Rights Commission (CHRC).

3.The Report presents actions taken to implement Recommendations contained in paragraphs 26 (discrimination against minorities), 39 (trade union rights) and 51 (the right to food). It also outlines difficulties and challenges encountered.

II.Follow-up information relating to paragraph 26 of the concluding observations (E/C.12/CMR/CO/4) – Discrimination against Minorities

A.Combating de facto marginalisation of ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities

4.The Constitution provides that the official languages of Cameroon are English and French, both languages having equal status. However, difficulties encountered in the implementation of this prescription led the State to undertake some reforms to eliminate the feeling of discrimination expressed by English-speaking Cameroonians. The truth is that this feeling of discrimination is not due to a system intentionally implemented by the State. The two languages are increasingly used by the population.

5.So, since September 2016, when this feeling of discrimination was expressed in a violent way, the State took a set of measures to address the concerns of the population of the North West and South West Regions and those of all Cameroonians. Some of these measures were recalled during the defence of the Report in February 2019. Such measures were supplemented by recommendations made during the Major National Dialogue that took place in Yaounde from 30 September to 4 October 2019. These measures include:

•The adoption of Law No. 2019/19 of 24 December 2019 on the promotion of official languages;

•Strengthening the taking into account of ethnic diversity in appointments to decision-making positions in the Government and the Public Service;

•The setting-up of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism through Law No. 17/13 of 23 January 2017. Since the Commission was set up, significant resources are allocated for its operation: CFAF 3.4 billion in 2018, 3.35 billion in 2019 and 2.98 billion in 2020. As part of its plan of action for the 2020 financial year, despite the COVID19 pandemic, the Commission carried out some actions including the Mission for follow-up and evaluation in Ministries of the implementation of the provisions of Law No. 2019/19 of 24 December 2019 on the promotion of official languages, the mission aimed at “listening to the people, explaining and raising awareness on the relevance of the above-mentioned Law” in the North and Far North Regions and the fight against hate speech;

•The introduction of new offences through Law No. 2019/20 of 24 December 2019 to amend and supplement certain provisions of Law No. 2016/7 of 12 July 2019 relating to the Penal Code. In Section 241 (new) of the said Law, sanctions are provided for against contempt of race and religion and in Section 241-1 (new), sanctions are provided for against contempt of tribe and ethnic group. Such punishment is meant to entrench in the population values of social dialogue, cohesion and living together;

•Granting a Special Status to the North West and South West Regions in the General Code of Regional and Local Authorities, resulting in greater autonomy in the participation in drafting national public policies relating to the English-speaking education sub-system, setting-up and management of Regional development missions and participation in drafting the status of traditional chiefdoms. Moreover, the North West and South West Regions may be consulted on issues relating to drafting public policies of the legal sub-system based on Common Law. The Special Status is also translated by the setting-up of a Regional Assembly, of a Regional Executive Council and the Public Independent Conciliator, independent authority in charge of managing disputes between the Administration and users in the North West and South West Regions and the re-establishment of the House of Chiefs;

•Regional Executive Councils that were composed after the election of Regional Counsellors on 6 December 2020, including those of the North West and South West Regions, took office in January 2021.

6.As concerns support granted to young project promoters, through the Three-year Special Youth Plan implemented by the Ministry of Youth and Civic Education, the State provided an overall funding of CFAF 7,096,266,000, that is, CFAF 163,976,436 for youths of the South West Region and CFAF 179.471.087 for youths of the North West Region. In 2020, youths’ projects were funded to the tune of CFAF 4,363,000,000, that is CFAF 198,555,299 for youths of the South West Region and CFAF 104,111,564 for youths of the North West Region.

7.The present legal framework of the freedom of religion, that could be amended, enables to efficiently prevent and fight against all forms of possible discrimination or marginalisation of religious minorities. It is worth mentioning that in the Preamble and Section 1 (2) of the Constitution of Cameroon, it is provided that the State is secular. The principles of non-dicrimination and equal protection of all by the law are also provided for. The most prominent instrument is Law No. 90/53 of 19 December 1990 relating to freedom of association as amended and supplemented by Law No. 2020/9 of 20 July 2020. Moreover, it is provided for in the Penal Code that discrimination, including that related to religion, contempt of religion, failure to respect freedom of worship, contempt of Minister of Religion, violent obstruction of ministry and distrurbance of public worship are offences and they are severely punished.

B.Measures to ensure that minorities enjoy their economic, social and cultural rights

8.The State continued to ensure and guarantee the economic, social and cultural rights of all in general and minorities in particular. In this vein, numerous actions were carried out.

9.As concerns the right to education, apart from the redeployment of Teachers from the two sub-systems according to their linguistic capacities, at the level of Higher Education, the following can be mentioned: the setting-up of the Higher Polytechnic Institute in the University of Bamenda, the setting-up of new Schools in State Universities, including the French Private Law Departments in the Universities of Buea and Bamenda, and a Department of French Modern Letters at the Higher Teacher Training College of the University of Bamenda and the setting-up of a Faculty of Laws and Political Sciences at the University of Buea.

10.With regard to Secondary Education, the following can be mentioned: the recruitment of 1,000 young bilingual Teachers, 865 of whom were placed at the disposal of the Ministry of Secondary Education. Among the 865 Teachers, 681 were posted to the North West and South West Regions. The education offer in the two sub-systems continued with an emphasis on taking into consideration students internally displaced because of the various crises. Thus, many schools were transformed into bilingual schools in some Regions (Centre, West, Littoral and South). As concerns Technical Education, between 2018 and 2019, 7 High Schools and Government Technical Colleges (GTCs) became Government Bilingual Technical High Schools or Bilingual GTCs. With regard to Private Education, 23 Colleges were transformed into bilingual colleges. Instructions were given for internally displaced students to be welcomed and registered in schools without any condition. Support was provided to them. For example, 19,762 students displaced as a result of the crisis in the North West and South West Regions were granted school kits thanks to financial support amounting to CFAF 471,920,000. Moreover, the awareness of 150 School Heads was raised on the Safe School Declaration through capacity building in inclusive education, prevention of emerging social risks and scourges.

11.Teaching innovations were introduced in the two sub-systems. The curricula reform that started in 2013 at the pilot phase for Form I/Form II and 6 ème /5 ème was completed in 2020 by Upper sixth and Terminale.

12.As concerns human resources management at Secondary Education level, the promotion of linguistic equity is sought in decision-making positions. In addition to the Minister who is English-speaking, out of 27 positions, 10 English-speaking staff members have at least the rank of Director. Some 17 School Heads in the two major cities (Yaounde and Douala), are English-speaking, that is 20.48% (See table in the appendix).

13.Concerning the right of access to justice, the OHADA Treaty and Uniform Acts were translated into English, 150 English-speaking Judicial and Legal Officers and 90 English-speaking Court Registrars were recruited between 2017 and 2019 through special recruitments for the North West and South West Courts of Appeal. The first group of Judicial and Legal Officers were posted during the Higher Judicial Council Session of 10 August 2020 and Court Registrars were deployed on 4 November 2020. A Common Law Section was set up at the Judicial Bench of the Supreme Court. The Head of the Section is an Englih-speaking Magistrate.

14.To foster the reintegration of Boko Haram ex-fighters on the one hand and separatist ex-fighters on the other hand, a National Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration Committee (CNDDR) was set up. As at 10 March 2021, the 3 Centres of the Committee had welcomed 657 ex-fighters.

15.Considering their special situation, the North West, South West and Far North Regions were declared economically distressed areas and are under a particular system of financial incentives for investors. The Presidential Reconstruction Plan and Development was put in place for the North West and South West Regions.

16.On another score, as part of the implementation of this Recommendation, through Government communications (press briefings and communiques..), the State raised the awareness of the populations on the dangers of hate speech on media and social media which leads people to fall back on their identity and increases regional and ethnic divides. Some examples are Government communications of 11 March 2019 and 20 June 2019.

17.Worthy of note are the discussions between Cameroonian authories and representatives of Facebook Inc company on the issue of fake news and the setting-up of a warning system.

18.As concerns cultural rights, within the framework of the amendment of the Law on cultural associations, the State ensures equal representation in copyright and neighbouring rights management Bodies (OGC). So, since 12 December 2020, two (2) Chairpersons of Board of Directors of OGC on five (5) were Anglophones from the North West. Also, the Director General of the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Management Body in charge of audiovisual arts and photography is an Anglophone from the South West.

19.The concerns of indigenous peoples are examined within the framework of the Intersectoral Committee for the follow-up of programmes and projects involving vulnerable indigenous peoples (CISPAV). The Committee was set up in 2013 to meet the need to coordinate and harmonise all the actions of various stakeholders involved in the promotion and protection of socially vulnerable people, including indigenous peoples. The last session of the Committtee was held on 7 August 2020. During that session, the draft National Plan of Action for the Development of Indigenous Peoples was presented and consolidated. This Plan of Action was validated on 9 December 2020. The Plan focuses on three strategic thrusts: access to health and well-being, access to education, training and socioprofessional integration of indigenous peoples.

III.Follow-up information relating to paragraph 39 of the concluding observations – Trade Union Rights

A.Aligning trade union rights with international legal instruments

20.Cameroon undertook to amend its labour laws, one of the reasons being the alignment of some provisions of Law No. 92/7 of 14 August 1992 relating to the Labour Code with international instruments including:

•The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, especially Section 8;

•ILO’s 1948 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention;

•ILO’s 1949 Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention.

21.The adoption of Draft instruments relating thereto is in progress. These include the Draft Bill relating to the Labour Code that was examined by the National Consultative Committee on Employment during its 21st session that was held in November 2019 and the Draft Bills relating to the exercise of the right to strike and to trade union activities.

B.Amendment of section 2 of the law on the suppression of acts of terrorism

22.The State of Cameroon started the amendment process of Section 2 of the Law on the suppression of acts of terrorism by providing a new definition to this offence. It is planned to delete the provisions relating to performing the act in a bid to provoke a general uprising in the country as well as provisions relating to the disruption of the normal functioning of public services and supply of essential services to the population.

C.Mechanisms aimed at protecting trade union rights

23.Draft Bills relating to the Labour Code, the exercise of the right to strike and trade union activities provide for mechanisms aimed at protecting trade union rights more efficiently, whether it concerns the speedy processing of complaints filed before competent Bodies or the granting of appropriate compensation to workers.

IV.Follow-up information relating to paragraph 51 a) of the concluding observations – Right to food

A.Comprehensive strategy and legislative and institutional framework aimed at guaranteeing the right to food

24.Concerning the comprehensive strategy aimed at guaranteeing the right to food: After the Growth and Employment Strategy Paper (GESP) that was the policy framework and a guide for the actions of the State during the 2010-2019 period, Cameroon drafted a new document named National Development Strategy 2020-2030 (NDS30), the aim of which is to enable Cameroon to be an emergent, democratic country united in its diversity by 2035. This document is based on four main pillars: the structural transformation of the economy, human capital and well-being development, promotion of employment and economic integration and governance.

25.The first two pillars address the right to food, with the ultimate goal to guarantee sufficient food to all Cameroonians and residents. The identified orientations to meet this goal are agro-industry (p. 43 of NDS 30), transport infrastructure (p. 53 NDS 30), hydraulic and cleaning up infrastructure (p. 56 NDS30), promotion of nutrition (p. 78 NDS30) and easing access to drinking water (p. 81 NDS30).

26.Apart from the NDS 30 which is the global strategic planification framework, there are sector strategies which address the issue of food. These include the Food and Nutrition Policy Paper, the Health Sector Strategy 2016-2027 and the Food Security and Nutrition Strategic Review in Cameroon.

27.One of the focuses of the Food Security and Nutrition Strategic Review in Cameroon is the General Census of Agriculture and Livestock (RGAE), which is ongoing. During the official launching on 17 May 2019, FAO offered rolling stock and computer equipment to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The goal of this Census is to significantly improve on the quality of statistical data and update reference structural data on Agriculture and Livestock in relation to relevant orientations of the FAO’s World Programme for the Census of Agriculture.

28.Concerning the legislative framework guaranteeing the right to food: Cameroon has ratified several international legal instruments on the right to adequate standard of living in general and the right to food in particular. These include the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (Article 25), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 11 Paragraph 1), the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (Article 12) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 27). Since Cameroon has a monistic legal system, these international instruments have overridden national laws, as provided for in Section 45 of the Constitution.

29.At the internal level, the preamble of the Constitution proclaims the attachment of the Cameroonian people to the rights and freedoms enshrined in international intruments on Human Rights ratified by Cameroon. Moreover, many instruments directly or indirectly guarantee the right to food by regulating specific aspects relating thereto. Some of these instruments include Law No. 96/11 of 5 August 1996 relating to normalisation, Law No. 96/12 of 5 August 1996: Framework Law relating to the management of the environment, Law No. 98/27 of 24 December 1998 on seed-related activities, Law No. 2003/6 of 21 April 2003 on the security system of modern biotechnology in Cameroon, Law No. 2003/7 of 10 July 2003 to govern the activities of the fertilisers sub-sector in Cameroon, Framework Law No. 2011/12 of 6 May 2011 on the protection of consumers, Law No. 2015/18 of 21 December 2015 to govern commercial activities in Cameroon, Law No. 2016/4 of 18 April 2016 to govern foreign trade and Law No. 2018/020 of 11 December 2018: Framework Law on food health safety.

30.All these instruments participate in guaranteeing the availability, accessibility and acceptability of farm, animal and fishing foodstuffs.

31.It can thus be said that Cameroon’s legal framework relating to the right to food comprises a wide range of instruments capable of ensuring efficient promotion and protection of this right.

32.With regard to the institutional framework put in place to guarantee the right to food, the Government set up institutions to efficiently manage all aspects of the right to adequate standard of living.

33.Actions of various institutions are given impulse at the central level by the Ministries in charge of food issues, especially the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER), the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries (MINEPIA), the Ministry of Trade (MINCOMMERCE), the Ministry of Water and Energy (MINEE), the Ministry of Public Health (MINSANTE), the Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation (MINRESI), the Ministry of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts (MINPMEESA) and the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Technological Development (MINMIDT), under the coordination of the Prime Minister’s Office.

34.Ministries are supported by several advisory bodies, such as the National Competition Commission, the National Consumer Council, the National Committee for Codex Alimentarius and Food Safety (CNCOSAC), the National Council for Seed and Plant Varieties.

35.As regards training and research, there are three National Zootechnical and Veterinary Training Centres (in Maroua, Foumban and Jakiri), the Limbe National Fisheries Institute, nine Technical Schools of Agriculture (in Abong-Mbang, Bafang, Dibombari, Ebolowa, Garoua, Maroua, Kambe, Bambili and Sangmelima), four Community Development Specialisation Training Schools (in Bamenda, Kumba, Santa and Guider), a Rural Equipment and Development Specialisation Training School (in Kumba), Schools of Agriculture (18 in total), Regional Colleges of Agriculture (in Bambili, Ebolowa and Maroua), the Institute of Agriculture in Obala, the Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences (FASA) of the University of Dschang and the Agricultural Research Institute for Development (IRAD).

36.In addition to these public institutions, there are several private institutions, including the Higher Institute of Agricultural Techniques at Ombessa (IAO), the Higher Institute of Agricultural Techniques at Obala (IAO), the Higher Institute of Agriculture and Management Obala (IAO-ISAG) and the Higher Institute of Agronomy, Environmental and Rural Entrepreneurship Science in Sa’a (ISSAEER).

37.More globally, the Project for the Integration of Agricultural and Rural Education and Training in Schools in Cameroon (PIEFARES) was jointly initiated by MINADER, the Ministry of Basic Education (MINEDUB) and the Ministry of Secondary Education (MINESEC). This project aims at integrating agricultural and rural education in schools in Cameroon.

38.In the area of food production, the State’s approach is to implement plans, programmes and projects by sector in the various Regions according to their comparative advantages, in order to develop their varied natural potentials.

39.Regarding the improvement of water supply, concrete actions are being implemented as part of the Three-Year Emergency Plan, the Potable Water Supply Project in the city of Yaounde and its environs from the Sanaga River (PAEPYS), the Programme to rehabilitate 350 Scanwater stations throughout the country, the Project to study the supply of drinking water in rural areas, in 350 localities, the project to build, rehabilitate and extend drinking water supply systems in 52 urban centres and the project to study the mobilisation and use of rainwater (PEMVEP), among others. The Government has also updated the National Action Plan for Integrated Water Resources Management (PANGIRE).

40.As concerns the production of plant, animal and fish products, the State has been intervening through about thirty programmes and projects, the most important of which are the National Food Watch and Security Programme (PNVSA), the Support Programme for the Renovation and Development of Professional Training in the Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Sectors (AFOP), the Agropastoral Council Consolidation and Sustainability Program (PCP-ACEFA), the Youth Agropastoral Entrepreneurship Promotion Programme (PEA-Jeunes), the Integrated Support Programme for Informal Sector Actors (PIASSI), the Quality Plant Material Production Support Project (Papmav-Q), the Cashew and Senegal Acacia Seedling Production and Distribution Project, the Livestock Marketing and Breeding Infrastructure Development Project (PD-COBIE), the Aquaculture Entrepreneurship promotion Project (PPEA), etc.

41.The State has also acquired three ice production units in Douala, Limbe and Idenau thanks to the National Authority for the Development of Small Scale Fishery (MIDEPECAM). MINEPIA also built, equipped and commissioned an animal seed production centre and three relay centres in Lougguere, Dogba and Jakiri .

42.Considerable financial, material and seed resources mobilised as part of these programmes and projects have significantly boosted the production of food and water.

43.In terms of distribution, the State as well as Councils built thousands of markets in urban and rural areas in the country. In addition, the Essential Goods Supply Regulation Authority (MIRAP) was created. This organisation has mobilised nearly 2,000 partner producers and also built five Pilot Sales Stores which are permanently open (Ebolowa, Bertoua, Garoua, Ngaoundere and Maroua). MINCOMMERCE, on its part, frequently organises direct sales promotion of basic commodities on the eve of major celebrations such as the end-of-year festivities and Tabaski. Divisional and regional mini agro-pastoral shows are also organised every year and allow the population to buy basic commodities at a lower cost.

44.To ensure storage and conservation, the State, through the Livestock Development Corporation (SODEPA), financed the construction of cold stores in Kribi, Yaounde, Ebolowa and Ngaoundere.

45.In terms of product quality control, the State has more than 500 zootechnical and veterinary centres, phytosanitary police stations at the borders and in airports, a Standards and Quality Agency (ANOR) and the National Veterinary Laboratory (LANAVET). Imported products are subject to control through the Pre-Shipment Conformity Assessment of Goods Programme (PECAE).

46.In addition to these public institutions, there are numerous private laboratories that contribute to the quality control of food products.

47.In terms of price control, the national, regional, divisional and local Brigades of MINCOMMERCE are operational. There are numerous associations for the promotion and protection of consumers’ rights that play the important role of monitoring and frequent whistle-blowing.

48.The above portrays the image of an existing institutional fabric that contributes to guaranteeing the right to food.

B.Fight against hunger and chronic malnutrition

49.It is worth mentioning that the traditional climate change and various security crises that Cameroon has been facing for some years have had a negative impact on food security, with pressure being exerted on the available resources by refugees and internally displaced persons, who themselves, have abandoned their production activities and tools. The situation has further deteriorated with the Covid-19 pandemic, which has had adverse effects in all areas.

50.Despite this difficult context, Cameroon is committed to guaranteeing sufficient food for its entire population, and more specifically for displaced persons, those living in high-risk areas and low-income people living in rural areas.

51.Concerning the fight against hunger, the National Food Watch and Security Programme (PNVSA) frequently carries out short-term studies throughout the country. The results obtained in 2020 revealed a satisfactory outlook in 33 Divisions, and an alarming situation in the North West and South West Regions, due to the security crisis which has led to the desertion of plantations and the abandonment of production by the population.

52.To combat hunger, Government recommended the following policies and strategies: promoting diversified and sustainable agriculture, promoting and disseminating nutritional education, targeting rural and poor households by means of safety nets, the inclusive financing of agriculture, disseminating and promoting digital economy in the agricultural sector, intensifying mechanisation and the use of technological innovations in the agricultural sector, securing agricultural land, mobilising resources to increase investment in the agricultural sector, adapting areas at risk to climate change, structuring small-scale family farmers (EFA) into producers’ associations and farmers’ clubs by agro-ecological zone, intensifying the development of specific skills in the field of agriculture, continuing the school feeding programme and targeting priority education areas by setting up school canteens providing locally produced food stuff.

53.The State of Cameroon implements these policies and strategies through the above-mentioned structures, programmes and projects. Specifically, the state also has put in place programmes for the most vulnerable strata of society and difficult areas of the territory. In this regard, it constantly provides humanitarian aid to internally displaced persons by distributing foodstuffs, utensils, production equipment and financial support to start income-generating activities in view of empowering them. In addition, the food component plays a key role in the framework of the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction and Development of the North West and South West Regions, the organic framework of which was established by Order No. 31/CAB/PM of 3 April 2020 of the Prime Minister. This Plan was allocated CFAF 36 billion in 2020. The “Safety Net” project, which targets low-income households, is also being implemented.

54.MIRAP, the activities of which are essentially geared towards economically vulnerable persons, organised more than 3,600 Pilot Periodic Markets and Roving Markets between 2011 and 2020, where the total amount of transactions was CFAF 32,921,000,000, with 70% corresponding to local products.

55.In 2019, the following results were obtained by MIRAP:

Type of market	Sales tonnage	Sales cost (in millions)	Number of markets organised during the year
Pilot Periodic Markets	8,387.5	2,099.20	182
Roving Markets	226.48	668.84	48
Pilot Sales Stores	4,590.8	1,625.27	192
Total	13,204.8	4,393.3	422

Source : MIRAP .

56.IRAD carried out several activities to develop and promote crop varieties (rice, sorghum, maize, soybean, pineapple and cassava) adapted to the northern part of the country.

57.Regarding malnutrition in particular: the 2016-2027 Health Sector Strategy takes into account Sustainable Development Goals No. 2.1 and 2.2 which aim at eliminating hunger and malnutrition. In March 2013, Cameroon also joined the international Scaling up Nutrition movement, which aims at eliminating malnutrition through multisector-based actions.

58.Several regulatory instruments were adopted at the national level to compel economic operators to contribute to the fight against malnutrition. These include Order No. 2/MINDIC/CAB of 6 January 2004 to make the norm on bread compulsory; Joint Order No. 2366/MINSANTE/MINCOMMERCE of 24 August 2011 to make the norm on vegetable oils enriched with vitamin A compulsory; Joint Order No. 2369 MINSANTE/MINMIDT/MINCOMERCE of 24 August 2011 making the standard on wheat flour enriched with iron, zinc, folic acid and vitamin B12 compulsory.

59.In addition, the State is taking several measures to combat vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Specifically, it promotes, protects and supports exclusive breastfeeding of babies during their first six months; it promotes adequate complementary food to breastfeeding up to the age of 24 months; systematically gives all pregnant women iron and folic acid supplements during prenatal consultations; it promotes the production and consumption of local foods rich in iron and vitamin A; the State provides children aged 6 to 59 months and post-partum women with vitamin A supplements, as part of routine activities and during mass vaccination campaigns, etc.

60.All these actions by the Government are aimed at ensuring sufficient and adequate food for the population, including the most vulnerable, stimulating and enhancing national production, bringing together consumers and producers, making foodstuffs available and accessible, stabilising prices and redistributing the proceeds of growth, with the overall objective of guaranteeing the right to food for the entire population.

C. Technical support for food and agriculture from the UN Right to food team

61.Cameroon already cooperates closely with FAO, through the Regional Office for Africa and the FAO Partnership and Liaison Office in Cameroon. To illustrate, on 1 September 2020, through the facilitation of FAO, Government, through MINADER, validated its National Plan for Development of Agricultural Seeds for the period 2020-2025.

62.The State of Cameroon reiterates its availability to continue its cooperation with the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and with the UN Right to Food Team. It remains open to all suggestions, recommendations and good practice that could enable it to strengthen its normative and institutional capacities, with a view to better guaranteeing the right to food for its population.

V.Conclusion

63.Cameroon is facing the consequences of climate change and security constraints imposed by the Boko Haram terrorist group in the northern part of the country, Central African Republic rebel groups in the East Region and armed secessionist movements in the North West and South West Regions. These climatic and security constraints are further compounded by the health crisis imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite this difficult context which led to a considerable dwindling of financial resources, the State of Cameroon, with the support of its various partners and through multifaceted actions, endeavoured to implement the recommendations made by the Committee. More generally, the State has worked towards guaranteeing to every strata of the population, the economic, social and cultural rights provided for by the Covenant and other international legal instruments. The implementation of the NDS30 will certainly enable the State to improve the situation of these rights in the coming years. The Government of Cameroon remains willing to cooperate with the Committee and all other organisations of the United Nations system.

Annex

Posts of Responsibility and the number of English-speaking Cameroonians in Secondary Schools

Post of responsability	Number	Men	Women	Female Represen ta tion (%)	Observations
Central Services
Member of Govenment	2	1	1	50	1 English-speaking
Secretary General (SG, IG)	3	2	1	33 . 33	1 English-speaking
Director and ranking as such(CT, ICG, IS, CD, Dir)	24	19	5	26 . 31	8 English-speaking
Deputy Director (IPN/CS)	23	16	7	30 . 43
Sub-Director (IPN, CC,SD)	279	178	101	36 . 20
Head of Service (CEA,CS)	99	54	45	45 . 45
Total	427	277	150	35 . 12
Decentralised Services
Deputy Director (Regional Delegates)	10	7	3	30
Sub – Director (ICR, DDES, Principals, Head Teachers Government Training/Technical Colleges)	1 , 552	1 , 346	206	13 . 27	For the 83 heads of public establishments of the two large cities of Douala (41) and Yaounde (42), 17 are English-speaking (about 20.48%) and 46 are women (about 55.42%).
Head of service (Regional or Divisional Delegations and schools)	16 , 766	12 , 729	4 , 037	24 . 08
Total	18 , 328	14 , 082	4 , 246	23 . 17