Mr Banda stated that restorative justice institutionalises peaceful approaches to repairing harm and violation of human rights and explained that the idea behind it is that, “because crime hurts, justice should heal.” As to why restorative justice should be institutionalised in Cameroon, he said, offenders are subjected to inefficient, delayed and overburdened justice that leads to overcrowding in prisons and other detention places, violence, disease and other vices. The detainees are therefore not prepared for re-integration into community. Victims on the other hand, he said, receive little assistance to help them recover from trauma of crime.
The one-day seminar jointly organised by the Working Group on Vulnerable Groups in the Human Rights Commission and Prison Fellowship Cameroon, was intended to raise awareness on restorative justice and advocate its use as a complement to classical justice in Cameroon.
Your donation helps Prison Fellowship International repair the harm caused by crime by emphasizing accountability, forgiveness, and making amends for prisoners and those affected by their actions. When victims, offenders, and community members meet to decide how to do that, the results are transformational.
Donate Now