Yaoundé Establishes Universities as Engines for Children’s Rights: A Historic International Conference

Under the high patronage of the Prime Minister, represented by the Minister of State and Minister of Higher Education, Mr. Jacques Fame Ndongo, Cameroon’s capital hosted the First International Conference on the Role of Universities in Promoting and Protecting Children’s Rights. The event was co-organized by UNICEF Cameroon, the Catholic University of Central Africa (UCAC), and partner public universities in Cameroon. This unprecedented gathering brought together more than 1,500 in-person participants and 3,000 online attendees, including ministers, rectors, international experts, religious and traditional leaders, as well as engaged young students.

Far beyond an academic event, this conference marks a pivotal step in institutionalizing the role of universities as full-fledged actors within national and regional systems for promoting and protecting children’s rights.

Universities: Beacons for Children’s Rights

Over two days, conferences and workshops explored how African universities can become centers of excellence for children’s rights. Discussions focused on research, teaching, advocacy, and public policy, with a special emphasis on Africa’s cultural heritage, particularly the Manden Charter (1236), which already enshrined fundamental rights for children. “Africa did not wait for modern conventions to recognize children’s fundamental rights. Reconnecting academic research with our cultural heritage means building an authentically African vision of child protection,” emphasized Nadine Perrault, UNICEF Representative in Cameroon.

This historical perspective reframed children’s rights not as an imported concept but as an extension of African value systems, fostering stronger social and institutional ownership.

Concrete Advances for the Continent

The conference led to several major outcomes:

• Creation of the African Academic Network for Children’s Rights to promote inter-university cooperation and experience sharing.
• Commitment by nine African universities to establish Child Rights Centers, inspired by UCAC’s model.
• Adoption of the Yaoundé Declaration, affirming the central role of universities in promoting and protecting children’s rights.
• Launch of a bilingual Master’s program in Children’s Rights at UCAC, offered in a hybrid format and including international mobility opportunities.

These results signal a clear shift from experimentation to scale, positioning universities as key drivers of public policy, elite training, and the production of social norms favorable to children’s rights.
“The university must be a beacon for society: a place where science meets ethics, where elite training goes hand in hand with a commitment to human dignity and children’s rights. The child is the father of man and the future of Africa,” stressed Rev. Fr. Prof. Thomas Bienvenu Tchoungui, Rector of UCAC.

An Inclusive and Participatory Dynamic

Children and adolescents were at the heart of the discussions, notably during a special dialogue marking World Children’s Day. Plenary sessions addressed key themes: digital innovation, local governance, health and inclusion, conflict-sensitive curricula, and cross-sector partnerships. Far from symbolic participation, these spaces allowed children and adolescents to express their expectations, priorities, and proposals, directly contributing to policy and program reflections.
For Ghassan Khalil, UNICEF Representative in Greece:
“Promoting children’s rights in Africa means combining our cultural heritage with international standards. This alliance is the key to sustainable public policies adapted to local realities. Universities are not just places of knowledge; they are engines of social transformation.”

Engaged Student Voices

Students expressed enthusiasm and commitment to this initiative:
“This conference opened my eyes to the role we, as students, can play in defending children’s rights. I want my research to change the lives of the most vulnerable,” said Linda Djarsoumna, Communication student at the University of Yaoundé II.
Clémence, Sociology PhD candidate at the University of Yaoundé I:
“We need an interdisciplinary approach. Children’s rights are not just for lawyers—they concern sociologists, psychologists, economists. This conference gives us the tools to work together.”
Miguel, recent UCAC Master’s graduate:
“Seeing international experts and African leaders engage with us is inspiring. It proves that young voices matter in shaping public policies.”

Workshops: From Theory to Action

The event went beyond speeches. Practical workshops enabled participants to design concrete solutions: creating curricula for children in conflict situations, leveraging technology for child protection and monitoring, and developing university programs that integrate civic leadership.
In the digital innovation workshop, participants envisioned apps to report child rights violations and track field interventions. In the local governance workshop, scenarios were studied to involve municipalities in child protection and education.

A Strong Message for the Future

The Minister of Higher Education praised the initiative, stating:
“Integrating children’s rights into higher education is essential to train conscious and responsible elites. This conference marks a historic milestone for Cameroon and Africa.”

With this conference, Yaoundé emerges not only as a hub for dialogue but as the starting point of a structured continental movement, aiming to make African universities strategic and sustainable actors of social transformation by placing children’s rights at the heart of public policies, academic knowledge, and social norms.

When Yaoundé Puts Children’s Rights on the Political and Diplomatic Agenda

As guest of honor, Dr. Ghassan Khalil held high-level meetings with political authorities, religious leaders, parliamentarians, constitutional court representatives, and diplomatic missions accredited in Cameroon. These exchanges broadened the dialogue beyond academia and reinforced a cross-cutting vision of children’s rights as a shared priority for public policies, legal frameworks, and social dynamics.
By the scope and diversity of these meetings, the conference positioned Cameroon as a strategic dialogue and innovation hub for children’s rights, at the intersection of academic, political, and diplomatic spheres.