Advocacy and Policy

REWAC undertakes multifaceted advocacy and policy engagement to promote the rights and social inclusion of refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons (IDPs), stateless populations, and vulnerable migrant communities in Cameroon.

• We conduct participatory research giving voice to target communities to document issues around xenophobia, discrimination, gender-based violence, barriers to services, and violations of national and international obligations towards displaced and migrant groups. Research provides evidence base for our advocacy.
• We build strategic networks and platforms bringing together NGOs, community groups, activists, faith leaders, researchers, legal experts, and media to coordinate joint advocacy and awareness campaigns. These alliances leverage collective power to influence agenda setting, expand reach, and drive reform.
• We engage in direct lobbying of parliamentarians, government officials, ministers, and local authorities to review and enact legislation, policies and programs upholding rights and improving conditions for target populations. We provide legal analysis, budgetary impact assessments, and policy recommendations.
• We utilize mainstream and social media engagement including blogs, petitions, organizing social media events, placing op-eds to shape public discourse on migrant rights and counter xenophobia. We lift up authentic voices from within target communities.
• We organize cultural events, art exhibitions, film screenings, sports tournaments and other initiatives celebrating diversity and fostering social cohesion between host and displaced communities. This counters xenophobia and changes hearts and minds.
• We convene capacity building workshops to strengthen awareness on international conventions, national laws and policies among stakeholders including government actors, community leaders and target populations. This leads to more effective claim making and implementation.