Building a Global Conscience

Global Conscience Initiative was registered in 2004 as an independent non-profit association under the laws of the Republic of Cameroon. To continue the success achieved to date, Global Conscience is recruiting a Volunteer Program Director to provide strategic and operational leadership for the organization. This is an excellent opportunity to gain valuable management experience in a multi-cultural, grassroots NGO.

Key performance areas will include:

• Overall leadership and operational management,

• Oversee all programme run by the organisation including special projects,

• Strategic planning, framework development and budget planning

• Programme and personnel reporting to board

• Promote visibility and leadership of Global Conscience by encouraging and supporting the creation and maintenance of international, national and divisional networks working on peace, human rights, democracy and governance;

• Meeting with Judges and other officials of the Court, Inter-Governmental Organisations and government officials, as well as other key persons to promote Global Conscience’s goals;

• Business growth and attracting new members;

• Developing partnerships and organising events and opportunities that benefit the organisation;

• Manage annual meetings and other initiatives in conjunction with partners; Competencies

• Interpersonal, teamwork, cross-cultural awareness and stress tolerance, innovation and excellent communication skills, oral and written, English (French is a bonus)

• A few years of progressive responsible experience in management, advocacy and network building is an advantage;

• Knowledge and familiarity with the International, the African and the Cameroonian human rights systems;

• Familiarity with integrating legal and campaign strategies;

• Ability to interact with NGOs, government officials and intergovernmental organisations with professionalism, tact, diplomacy and cultural sensitivity;

• Skilled at prioritising, multi tasking and responding to changing priorities;

• Demonstrated experience in personnel and project management;

• Dynamism, self-motivation, independence; integrity, professionalism;

• Strong commitment to international justice.

Requirements

• A Degree in Law, International Relations or other relevant field; specialisation in Human Rights or Humanitarian Law would be an advantage;

• Willingness to take on a year contract, subject to renewal

How to Apply

Submit a relevant CV accompanied by one-page motivation letter in MS Word format to Samba Churchill, CEO of Global Conscience, via email at info@gcicameroon.org not later than 25 September 2009. If you experience any difficulties in submitting an application or have a question, please send an email to gci269@gmail.com

Niamh Browne of Amnesty International Irish Section arrived Cameroon at 2.00 a.m. January 8, 2008, ahead of a four month field placement with the Global Conscience Initiative. GCI Protection Officer, Ntebo Ebenezer Awung, was on hand to pick her up and the drove striaght to Kumba. Ms. Browne checked into her Hotel at about 8.00 a.m. She will start work in the office on January 9, 2008.

December 11, 2007

Global Conscience Initiative organized a one-day workshop on December 10, 2007, to commemorate the 59^th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. About thirty persons drawn from various backgrounds in Kumba assemble in the Global Conscience conference hall and for close to five hours brainstormed on articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the new Cameroon Criminal Procedure Code in the areas of arrest, detention and bail.

Opening the workshop, Global Conscience Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Samba Churchill said Global Conscience was joining the world in commemorating the anniversary of the UDHR for the first time, and that, regrettably, situations of human rights violations such as of arbitrary arrests and detentions, and of extortions in the name of bail fee were too rampant in Kumba. He lamented that one year after the introduction of the new CPC guaranteeing various rights enshrined in the UDHR, law enforcement authorities continue to violate human rights with impunity, especially with the complacency and lack luster attitude of the Department of Public Prosecution. The CEO observed that Kumba was like an island in Cameroon and reports the worst forms of human rights abuses in the Country. He asked aloud why the CPC was not being respected in Kumba.

Picking the cue, Hon. Mbile Norbert of the National Commission of Human Rights and Freedoms said ignorance on the part of the public was most responsible for the numerous cases of abuses in Kumba. He called for a broad educational campaign by all human rights and related groups and associations, and further urged that for better results, the groups and associations must work collectively, and in partnership with the legal department and the local administration.

Mr. Njaru Philip of Friends of the Press Network,  A Kumba-based Human Rights out fit, explained the difficulties human rights activist face in their attempt to work with local authorities, especially the Department of public prosecution. Innocent Yuh, a Journalist of the Ocean City Radio in Kumba also reported cases of threats on the life of human rights defenders by the authorities.

Speaker after speaker spoke of various forms of human rights abuses in Kumba including the deplorable condition of police/gendarmerie cells, harassment of foreigners especially Nigerians, corruption, detention of juveniles with old and sometimes very hardened criminals, the lack of medical personnel in the Kumba prisons, medical neglect, abuse of prisoners’ rights to visitation, etc.

Mr. Tansa John, Coordinator of the Organisation for Sustainable Rural Infrastructure (OSRI) and the newly elected President of the Nigerian Union in Kumba, lauded the initiative of Global Conscience to organize the workshop. They expressed the wish for many more regular exchanges, broader publicity of the events, and the involvement of grassroots organisations such as cultural and women’s groups, drivers associations, churches and others.

The Deputy Mayor of Kumba I Council, A representative of the Police, Journalists of the print and audio media in Kumba, business men and women, aspiring lawyers and many others attended the workshop.

The workshop ended with the formation of a resolutions committee and light refreshments. Global Conscience wholly funded the workshop with little donations from a few members of the public.

Resolutions of the workshop

A six-man committee sitting after the open workshop took the following resolutions:

1.      The workshop frowned at the non attendance of some key invitees, and urged that subsequent workshops and seminars should be given the widest publicity

2.      The creation of a civil society forum bringing together leaders of Associations, NGOs, CBOs, Churches, cultural groups, unions, etc.

3.      The created civil society forum should meet and dialogue with local administration and the Department of Public prosecution on the role of civil society organisations in the promotion and protection of human rights and democracy.

4.      That the forum should organize regular visits to cells and prisons to assess their conditions and that of inmates.

5.      That the forum should organize and raise funds to assist sick inmates in cells and prisons, and provide legal assistance to poor victims of arbitrary arrests and detentions.

6.      That the forum should organize more training workshop and seminars at grassroots levels especially at the level of communities, grassroots and cultural associations and schools.

7.      That the forum should also organize training for police, gendarmes and prison officials with the full participation of the national human rights commission and local administration.

8.      That the forum should facilitate trainings for the local media practitioners to assume their fore role in the promotion of human rights.

9.      That the forum should liaise with local administration for the creation of a more conducive and fear-free working environment for Journalists, and press for more job security for practitioners.

10.  That the Nigerian Union should play a fore role in the defense of the rights of Nigerians in Kumba, and sensitize Nigerians on the need to regularize their residence in Cameroon.

11.  That a follow up workshop should be organized on January 4, 2008.

Kumba, December 4, 2007,

Global Conscience Initiative has expressed serious disappointed with the declaration of the Meme Administration to traditional rulers of the division that striking students in Kumba were shot and killed by bandits.

The First Deputy Chief Executive for Meme thunderstruck Southwest Chiefs, during their recent assembly, and challenged them to prove that the students were shot and killed by police and gendarmes.

Global Conscience Chief Executive, Samba Churchill has said the challenging declaration of the administrator is bad-mannered, most provocative and intended to ridicule the Chiefs, who are very aware about what happened, and adds insult to their injuries.

According to Mr. Samba, the statement of the first Assistant SDO, speaking on behalf of his boss, must be seriously followed up as it demonstrates, absolutely, the kind of sit-tight, high handed and dictatorial administration we have in Meme Division. He urged the Chiefs to take their responsibilities and press for thorough investigations and sanctioning of the ruthless killings, at least in the interest of posterity. Mr. Samba said the declaration also makes clear whose interest the administration is defending.

The Global Conscience Director also observed that since the shooting of peacefully demonstrating students by forces in Kumba, the Meme administration has been very verbose, threatening parents, and now Chiefs, that the administration knows those of them who incited the students into striking.

The human rights activist, cum Journalist, said the administration has completely failed to manage the students’ crisis and has resulted to witch-hunting to cover-up its ineptitude. He said the administration is continuing to produce more violence in Kumba by its unconsidered and imprudent declarations.

Global Conscience Initiative is therefore calling on Yaounde authorities to intervene to resolve the crises in Kumba, and take well calculated measures to put in the local administration persons worthy enough to conduct unfettered respect for constituted authority.