The death of a Cameroonian teacher barely two months after her wedding has intensified calls for action against gender-related killings, as the government prepares legislation to make femicide a separate criminal offense.
Geraldine Achiah, a primary school teacher in her 30s, died in September after relatives allege her husband beat her during a marital dispute. Manfred Amambua has been charged with murder and remains in custody awaiting trial; police say he denies killing her.
Her case comes as Cameroon's Ministry of Women's Empowerment and the Family estimates that nearly 70 women have been killed in gender-related violence this year, according to The Associated Press. Thousands have joined demonstrations in Yaoundé and Douala demanding stronger protections and more effective investigations.
The government expects to submit its proposed legislation to parliament in November. Cameroon currently prosecutes killings under general criminal provisions rather than a law specifically defining femicide, the killing of women and girls for gender-related reasons.
Activists argue that a new offense alone will not resolve failures that leave women vulnerable. They cite financial dependence, unequal control over family property, stigma and weaknesses in the justice system as obstacles to escaping abuse and securing accountability.
Women's Empowerment and Family Minister Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa described the scale of the killings as "cruel" and "alarming" in remarks to the state broadcaster. She said limited resources can lead women to endure violent marriages while hoping their partners will change.
For Achiah's family, those national debates accompany an immediate personal loss. Her 18-year-old son, Courage Abombi, remembers her encouragement of his ambition to become a mechanical engineer. He took a university entrance examination the day after her burial.
"My mom died an unexpected and painful death," he said.
Hospital records obtained by the AP noted that Achiah had "several bruises on her face and lips" before she died. Investigating officer Ndzana Bienvenu said police also collected a blood-stained bedsheet and phone footage showing Achiah and her husband after the alleged assault.
The reporting does not establish whose blood was on the sheet or what the footage demonstrates. The allegations against Amambua remain to be tested in court.
"We want justice for our daughter who died a violent death. This was a teacher who imparted knowledge on thousands of young Cameroonians," her cousin Regina Ngukum told the AP.
Rights activist Carole Grace Mbarga said intimidation, corruption and procedural mistakes can derail cases, reduce charges or contribute to acquittals. Protracted investigations can also make it harder for families to sustain their pursuit of justice.
"When investigations drag on, evidence deteriorates, witnesses lose confidence, and families become discouraged," Mbarga said.
Laura Sen, an organizer of the anti-femicide demonstrations, called for measures addressing hardship and stigma alongside criminal-law changes. Women seeking safety can face particular difficulties when they have children and limited resources.
Abombi said he hoped the legal process would deliver justice while he continued to cope with his mother's absence. "She keeps appearing to me in a dream, consoling me not to despair and that she is still with me," he said.
