Page 66
3. Violence and Torture (Article 16)
Several provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code are designed to curb violence
against physical integrity perpetrated against individuals, in particular, children (illegal
confinement, pawning of children, infanticide, neglect of the handicapped).
4. Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Article 27)
Measures taken to implement policies on programmes to prevent sexual
exploitation of children in Cameroon include:
-
Adoption and dissemination of the Global Codes of Ethics for Tourism,
especially its provisions on prohibiting tourism for sexual purposes and
specifically in the case of children;
-
Organizing awareness and training workshops for Ministry of Tourism officers,
peer educators, private tour operators (hotels, tourism agencies and
entertainment houses) on combating sex tourism involving children all over
the country;
-
Promoting responsible tourism;
-
Participating in World Tourism Organization programmes ;
-
Study on “Sexual exploitation of children in Cameroon: Yaounde, Douala,
Limbe, Ngaoundere”, Frédéric Boursin and Séverin Cécile Abega, April 2004.
Criminal provisions against the sexual exploitation of children are severe: Article
344 of the Penal Code (corrupting the youth); 345 (moral danger); 346 defilement of a
minor under 16 years); 347 (defilement of a minor aged between 16 and 21 years), 347
(b), (homosexuality); 356 (forced marriage) and 296 (rape).
Prospects
The following recommendations that emanated from the awareness workshops will
soon be implemented as regulatory provisions (by way of circulars from the Ministry of
Tourism):
-
Prohibition of all forms of sexual exploitation of children in tourism institutions
and at tourist sites;
-
Close collaboration with é administrative and police authorities
suspicious behaviours;
to report