On this page, you will find:
To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our Cameroon LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For Cameroon country of origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our Cameroon COI page.
Refugee protection
Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by Cameroon.
The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which Cameroon is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.
Cameroon is a party to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, which expands the Convention to apply universally and protect all persons fleeing conflict and persecution. Cameroon has not made any reservations to either the Convention or the Protocol.
Cameroon is also party to the 1969 OAU Convention on the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. However, Cameroon is not a party to either the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons nor the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
Cameroon has also ratified several other international and regional legal instruments that also relate to the treatment of refugees, including the:
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which sets out protections for a wide range of human rights, including freedom from torture and other cruel or unusual punishment, fair trial rights, equality, and non-discrimination
- International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which ensures the enjoyment of economic, social, and cultural rights to education, fair and just working conditions, adequate standards of living, social security, and the highest attainable standard of health
- Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which protects children’s rights and obliges public bodies to consider children’s best interests
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which sets out provisions to ensure women’s full enjoyment of human rights on an equal basis with men
- International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (CMW), which sets standards for national laws and procedures to protect migrant workers’ rights
- Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), which requires signatories to take effective measures to prevent acts of torture
- The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights is a binding instrument on member states that have ratified it and provides a comprehensive rights framework on civil and political rights, economic, social, and cultural rights, and group (or collective) rights, referred to as “peoples’ rights
- The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child is specifically designed to promote and protect the rights and welfare of children in Africa
In addition to its obligations under the aforementioned international instruments, Cameroon is bound by the international customary legal principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they face threats to their life or freedom
In 2005, Cameroon enacted Act No. 2005/006 concerning the Status of Refugees and, in 2011, the Decree 2011/389 on Refugee Management Structures. As of August 2025, these laws continue to govern the country’s refugee management system, including the work of the National Eligibility Commission. The Commission is legally tasked to undertake refugee status determination (RSD). However, in practice, as of 2025, the Commission remains only partly functioning with no capacity to conduct RSD. Consequently, despite the improvements in the national legislation, UNHCR continues to conduct registration and RSD procedure on behalf of the Government of Cameroon.
UNHCR collaborates with Cameroonian authorities to build institutional capacity, aiming for a future where the government can assume full responsibility for refugee registration and status determination.
The asylum process in Cameroon is undertaken by UNHCR on behalf of the Government of Cameroon. UNHCR works with the government to strengthen the national authority’s capacity in asylum case management and assessment with a view to increasing the involvement of the state in the process in the future.
In order to apply for asylum in Cameroon, you should approach the UNHCR office in Yaoundé or any of the sub- or field offices to register your intent to seek asylum. UNHCR will assess your case through a process called refugee status determination. You may be invited for an interview. If your claim is accepted, you will receive a refugee registration document that you should keep in a safe place to prove your status and eligibility to any services you may be eligible for.
If your claim is rejected, you may appeal against the decision. You will be permitted to remain in Cameroon for the period of the appeal procedure, which may vary. You will receive information on the appeal process when the decision is communicated to you. You may wish to seek free legal advice on your case.
Legal aid organisations
Website
Address: P.O. BOX 11514, Douala, Cameroon
Tel: +237 33 20 28 60
Email: afvmc@free.fr or afvmc@yahoo.fr
Association AFVMC is a legal association with its headquarters in Cameroon. It provides support for undocumented migrants and refugees who have been expelled back or repatriated from abroad to Cameroon. AFVMC provides support in the form of documentation centres dealing with migration, free medical help, training for migrants, and advocacy and awareness programmes.
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Address: P.O. Box 415, Bamenda, North West Region, Republic of Cameroon
Tel: 00 23 77 75 36 682
Email: info@rewac.org
REWAC is a small, indigenous, non-governmental organisation that is dedicated to a variety of activities, actions, projects, and programmes that defend the rights of refugees, asylum seekers, and forcibly displaced persons. REWAC trains lawyers on the rights of vulnerable migrants, organizes conferences, debates, and workshops, and also provides vocational training of vulnerable migrants on skills and trades needed for immediate job acquisition. REWAC also provides legal advice and representation for asylum seekers.
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In Cameroon, INTERSOS intervenes in areas of protection, food security, water, hygiene, health, emergency shelter, and distribution of non-food items. INTERSOS will provide case management services, support to children and survivors of gender-based violence, as well as distribution of dignity kits for women. The services provided also include advocacy and awareness work as well as legal aid.
Website
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Tel: + 1 212 551 3000
The IRC has been active in Cameroon since 2016, with a focus on the Far North and South West regions. Its work includes assisting individuals in obtaining identification documents and referring them to legal services, establishing referral pathways to ensure survivors of sexual assault receive appropriate clinical care, and engaging community members in programs designed to reduce protection risks. The IRC helps individuals obtain identification and refers them to other legal services.
Website
Tel: +237 222 029 54
Address: Quartier Bastos, Rue 1778, Yaoundé, Cameroon
The UNHCR Multi-Country Office in Yaoundé supports refugee protection in Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and São Tomé and Príncipe. In Cameroon, in collaboration with its partners, it provides legal and physical protection to refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced peoples, and supports the government with refugee registration. UNHCR also conducts refugee status determination interviewing applicants to assess their cases. UNHCR also facilitates durable solutions such as local integration and resettlement. It offers legal aid, assists stateless persons, and promotes self-reliance through livelihood and community-based programs. The office also works to build national capacity and coordinates with local partners through a humanitarian-development-peace approach.
Organisations providing other support to refugees
Website
Tel: +237 677 427 322 / +237 678 952 474
Email: info@unimaccameroon.org
UNIMAC is a non-profit, apolitical, and non-religious organization founded in 2020 and legally registered in 2021. It is dedicated to empowering women and girls in Cameroon through education, advocacy, skills training, and community engagement. UNIMAC promotes gender equality, supports survivors of gender-based violence, and offers programs in leadership development, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, health, and wellness. The organization also provides safe spaces for women and young girls, advocates for children’s protection, and partners with NGOs, businesses, and government agencies to expand its reach.
Cameroon LGBTQI+ Resources
Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in Cameroon.
Cameroon COI
Find Cameroon Country of Origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents.
We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.
Last updated August 2025
