In a new report published on Wednesday, Human Rights Watch said the government in Cameroon has failed to meet a decade-old commitment to reduce violence against women and girls.
The group said that faced with widespread abuse, this failure leaves the victims and survivors of violence exposed to harm without meaningful protection or access to justice.
"Social norms that justify and perpetuate violence against women" are partly to blame for the scourge, the report said.
HRW blamed entrenched systemic gender inequality, discriminatory laws, and weak institutions, exacerbated by chronic underinvestment in prevention and survivor support.
As a result, the rights group said victims often find themselves alone because of a lack of assistance and services, as well as corruption within police and public institutions.
