Armed Conflicts and the Media: An Assessment of the Protection of War Correspondents (Journalists) in the Underway Anglophone Cameroon Armed Conflicts

The protection and enjoyment of rights of war correspondence in Cameroon is of utmost importance. War correspondents (journalists reporting in armed conflicts) play a crucial role in documenting armed conflicts, but they face signiï¬ cant risks. This article examines the protection of war correspondents (journalists reporting in armed conflicts) in armed conflict, using the Cameroon armed conflict as a case study, giving possible recommendations geared at enhancing the protection mechanisms, analyze international humanitarian law, human rights law, and national legislation to identify gaps in protection. The study uses a qualitative research methodology, employing primary data sources from vital conventions like the Geneva Conventions of 1949, Additional Protocol I & II of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and host of other conventions. Secondary data came from textbooks, journal articles, reports, and newspapers. The study is underpinned or anchored by the triple-pronged theory. The ï¬ ndings in the study reveals unequivocally that the protection of war correspondents (journalists reporting in armed conflicts) in the Anglophone Cameroon armed conflict needs safeguard enhancement, including improvement in training, protective gear, and investigation into attacks on journalists, either directly or indirectly. As a corollary, there is need therefore to reinforce and put punitive measures geared at ensuring that violators are punished and above all, that war correspondents (journalists reporting in armed conflicts) are adequately protected.