Traditional Law and Discriminatory Customary Practices against Women in Cameroon: A Critical Perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 418-431
Author(s):  
Simon Tabe Tabe
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Traditional Practices ◽  
Political Rights ◽  
Critical Perspective ◽  
Optional Protocol ◽  
The Status ◽  
Civil And Political Rights ◽  
The Village ◽  
Customary Practices ◽  
Village Woman

This article highlights the cultural and traditional practices that continue to discriminate against women in Cameroon, given that gender equality has been recognised and guaranteed in the Constitution of Cameroon and all international human rights instruments which Cameroon has ratified, notably the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and its Optional Protocol, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and all other international and regional conventions and covenants relating to discrimination against women. The article points out that the status of a woman under traditional law is far less than that of a slave. A woman is regarded as an abominable object and subjected to harmful customary practices. Some customs still continue to affect the physical and psychological development of the village woman. It is suggested that the village woman should be empowered financially, economically and socially to fight against customary practices that violate their rights.

scholarly journals Le recours au Comité des droits de l'homme de l'O.N.U. : une illusion?

2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 531-547
Author(s):  
Marie-José Côté
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Political Rights ◽  
International Convention ◽  
Cultural Rights ◽  
Optional Protocol ◽  
Canadian Law ◽  
The Status ◽  
Civil And Political Rights ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Work Done

The international charter of human freedoms became a legal reality via the coming into force of the following three documents : the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights and the optional protocol attached to it. The Human Rights Committee was created under the Convention on Civil and Political Rights. In accordance with the controlling machinery set up under the optional protocol, the Committee must examine complaints from individuals who feel that their rights as defined and protected by the Convention, have been violated. Besides Uruguay, Canada is the country that submits the greatest number of complaints to the Human Rights Committee. To this days, six « communications » putting it into question have been at the origin of the adoption of « final views » two of which have demonstrated a violation of rights laid down in the Convention. Yet various improvements have proved to be desirable so as to make resorting to the Committee more efficient. It is even conceivable that making the rule on exhausting internal recourses might allow the Committee to influence Canadian law by inciting Canada to amend its Constitution or to integrate the Convention into its national law so as to be usable before the courts. The Committee has thereby contributed to increasing the basic freedoms of Canadians via the Convention on Civil and Political Rights. Although their accomplishments have been praiseworthy, work done by the Human Rights Committee risks being incomplete if the status quo continues.

The Protection of Human Rights by the Organization of American States

1968 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 889-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
José A. Cabranes
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
Political Rights ◽  
Bill Of Rights ◽  
Cultural Rights ◽  
Optional Protocol ◽  
American States ◽  
Protection Of Human Rights ◽  
Civil And Political Rights

On December 16, 1966, the General Assembly approved three agreements designed to establish a global system of enforceable treaty obligations with respect to fundamental human rights. These agreements are the second part of the “international bill of rights” proposed at the San Francisco Conference. Eighteen years separated the adoption of these agreements—the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights—and the approval in 1948 of the first part of the projected United Nations program for the protection of human rights, the non-binding Universal declaration of Human Rights.

Views Adopted by the Committee Under Article 5(4) of the Optional Protocol, Concerning Sanila-aikio v. Finland, Communication No. 2668/2015, and Klemetti Käkkäläjärvi et al., Communication No. 2950/2017 (H.R. Comm'n)

2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 302-332
Author(s):  
CJ Iorns Magallanes
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Political Rights ◽  
Electoral Roll ◽  
Optional Protocol ◽  
Civil And Political Rights ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
Article 5

On November 1 and 2, 2018, the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations (the Committee) adopted views pursuant to Article 5(4) of the Optional Protocol in the cases of Sanila-Aikio v. Finland and Klemetti Käkkäläjärvi et al. In respect of both communications, the Committee considered that the interpretation made by the Finland Supreme Administrative Court (the Court), of who was eligible to be a member of the Sami Parliament's electoral roll, violated Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (the Covenant), read alone and in conjunction with Article 27, and in light of Article 1.

scholarly journals Le Comité des droits de l'homme des Nations unies

2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 533-546
Author(s):  
Gisèle Côté-Harper
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Political Rights ◽  
Human Rights Protection ◽  
Rights Protection ◽  
Optional Protocol ◽  
Civil And Political Rights

In the area of Human Rights, one of the most important events of the last fourty years has been the adoption of the International Pact concerning civil and political rights including the optional Protocol. The author examines the functions that the Pact assigns to the Human Rights Committee and remarks on the major role that this Committee assumes in the area of Human Rights' protection and of the strengths and weaknesses of this organism.

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