The killing of at least eight women in one week has prompted widespread anger in Cameroon, with footballer Nchout Njoya Ajara urging the authorities to act against what she described as a “tragic wave” of femicides.
The 33-year-old striker said women should not have to fear for their lives and called for an end to the violence.
“Being a woman in Cameroun should never be a risk,” said Ajara, one of Cameroon’s most prominent female footballers.
“In the face of the tragic wave of femicides that has hit our country in recent days, silence is complicity,” she added.
The latest reported killing happened on Tuesday, when a 44-year-old woman was allegedly stabbed to death in a hotel room in Yaounde. A 22-year-old suspect was later arrested.
Official figures show that at least 50 women were killed in Cameroon between January and April this year. That compares with 77 deaths recorded during the whole of last year.
The cases, many of which are linked to domestic violence, have been reported in different parts of the country.
Ajara has played professionally in Russia, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia. Her former clubs include Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan.
Government promises action
The government has expressed concern over the increase in attacks.
In a video released by state media, Marie-Therese Abena Ondoa, the minister for Women’s Empowerment and the Family, condemned what she called the “worrying” rise in killings.
She said the government was working to tackle the problem and referred to a bill designed to protect women from gender-based violence. According to the minister, the proposed legislation is currently being reviewed by the prime minister.
However, civil society organisations and women’s rights groups say the government has been too slow to turn the bill into law.
The opposition Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) party said it was outraged by the “tragic recurrence of domestic femicides” and accused the government of taking a passive approach.
Parliament is due to hold its final session of the year in November, but Viviane Tathi, whose organisation records femicide cases in Cameroon, said she was uncertain whether the bill would be approved.
“We are worried because the November parliamentary session focuses on budgetary debates…So, we don’t know by what magic this bill will be passed,” she told the BBC.
Tathi has also called for a special court to deal with family disputes, which can result in domestic violence.
The latest United Nations data shows Africa recorded both the highest number of femicide victims and the highest rate relative to its population in 2024. The UN estimates that 22,600 people were killed in such cases across the continent.
The figures are estimates because femicides are believed to be under-reported, while many governments do not collect or record the information consistently.
