Cameroon is home to several groups who self-identify as indigenous peoples. The first groups are the so-called “Pygmies” (Baka, Bagyéli, Bedzang and Bakola) who make up approximately 0.4% of the national population. The first and largest is the Baka. This group numbers close to 40,000 people, occupies about 75,000 km² and is situated to the south east of the country. The Bakola, number about 3,700 people and occupy about 12,000 km² in the southern part of the coastal region, more precisely in the Subdivisions of Akom II, Campo Bipindi, Kribi and Lolodorf. The Bedzang, with less than a thousand people, live to the north west of Mbam in the region of Ngambe-Tikar. They are traditionally semi-nomadic hunters and gatherers, but with increasing insecurity of land tenure, they are gradually being forced into a more sedentary lifestyle, although many still practice the semi-nomadic lifestyle. Other groups include the Mbororo, who belong to the group of Fulani, one of the largest ethnic communities in Central Africa. The Mbororo population in Cameroon is estimated at 1.85 million with about 120,000 to 130,000 living in the grass field plateau of Bamenda in the North West Province. They are found in almost all provinces of the country.
PRO 169 has been active in Cameroon since 2001, when activities were initiated through a collaboration with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in a seminar on the rights of indigenous peoples. Following this, activities primarily focussed on research into the legal framework for the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples in Cameroon, and on the integration of indigenous peoples’ needs and priorities into the PRSP process. On the basis of the recommendations of this research, a National Seminar was held in 2005, whose recommendations provided the basis for the development of a national project for capacity building on indigenous issues, and for the integration of indigenous issues into the PRSP process. This project officially began in October 2006, and actively collaborates with the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Planning, UN agencies, and NGOs working on indigenous issues.
Other activities in Cameroon have included research on best practices for the implementation of ILO Convention No. 169 in the field of indigenous peoples’ bilingual, intercultural education, and various training activities.