New publication from IWGIA - Cameroon: What Future for the Baka? Indigenous Peoples' Rights and Livelihood Opportunities in south-east Cameroon

IWGIA, Plan Finland and Plan Cameroon have published a report about the indigenous Baka living in Cameroon entitled What Future for the Baka? Indigenous Peoples' Rights and Livelihood Opportunities in south-east Cameroon. The report looks at the human rights situation of the indigenous hunter / gatherers of south-east Cameroon and their livelihood opportunities.

What Future for the Baka? analyses the livelihood and human rights situation of the Baka people and provides recommendations for action. The authors expect that the report can be used as an information reference for Baka communities, the government of Cameroon, non-governmental organisations and the international human rights community. They also hope it will help to promote Baka rights in the future decision-making at all levels of society.

The objective of the report is to help identify potential livelihood strategies for Baka communities, given the socio-economic and environmental conditions they are in, and to analyse these in relation to factors such as external pressures, internal and external change, Baka culture and tradition, feasibility of social and economic development, and long-term sustainability.

While the main emphasis of the report lies on the rights of the Baka, the issue is examined in a broader context of history, and how it relates to the current cultural identity of the Baka and to the attitudes of other actors and stakeholders, equal opportunities for all interest groups (men, women, youth, elders), financial, marketing and trade aspects in relation to Baka livelihood strategies, and possible development routes for the Baka that combine both traditional knowledge as well as new methods, opportunities and livelihood strategies.

Read, download or buy the publication in English here

Read, download or buy the publication in French here