Esther Omam Leads Cameroon’s Voice at Feminist Foreign Policy Conference in Madrid

Esther Omam, Executive Director of Reach Out Cameroon, has highlighted Cameroon’s women-led peacebuilding efforts at the V Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policy held from 2 to 3 June in Madrid, Spain.

The international gathering brought together ministers, diplomats, researchers, peacebuilders, and civil society actors to discuss democracy, peace, security, and inclusive governance.

Cameroon’s participation featured in a high-level roundtable on “The Unique Contribution of African Women to Mediation,” where Esther Omam joined peacebuilders from Mali, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to share field experiences from conflict and post-conflict contexts.

The session, attended by Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, underscored the growing recognition of women’s role in mediation, conflict prevention, and peacebuilding at the global level.

Speaking on Cameroon’s experience, Esther Omam stressed the importance of grassroots women in sustaining dialogue, building trust, de-escalating tensions, and fostering reconciliation in conflict-affected communities.

She noted that peacebuilding often begins at community level, where women play a central role in preventing violence and strengthening social cohesion beyond formal negotiation spaces.

Participants highlighted African women as active contributors to peace processes, drawing from mediation initiatives, community dialogue, and locally driven conflict prevention strategies.

The conference also strengthened cooperation between governments, international organisations, and civil society actors working to enhance women’s participation in peace and security processes.

About Esther Omam

Esther Omam Eringo Cha Ekombo is a Cameroonian peacebuilder, mediator, and humanitarian leader. She is Executive Director of Reach Out Cameroon and a doctoral candidate in Diplomacy and Conflict Management.

She serves as a Special Rapporteur of the National Women’s Peace Convention in Cameroon and leads initiatives focused on women’s participation in peacebuilding and conflict transformation.

She is also the G100 Cameroon Country Chair for Mentoring and Motivation, a Vice-Chair of the Continental Women Business Association in Africa (CONWOBAA), and a Civil Society Board Member of the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF).

Through her work, she has promoted grassroots peacebuilding, women’s empowerment, humanitarian response, and social cohesion initiatives across Cameroon and beyond.

Key message

Cameroon’s participation reaffirmed the importance of locally driven peacebuilding and the essential role of women in conflict prevention, mediation, and sustainable peace.