International Law and Juvenile Justice: A Critical Assessment of Cameroon’s Legal and Institutional Framework

The protection of minors who have come into conflict with the law remains a central issue in the current international human rights debate. This article critically examines the extent to which Cameroon's legal and institutional framework in the area of juvenile justice complies with international standards set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and related soft law instruments, including the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (Beijing Rules), the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (Riyadh Guidelines) and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty (Havana Rules). While the domestic legal system of Cameroon, in particular the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, recognises nuanced criminal responsibility and special treatment for minors, persistent structural deficiencies hinder effective realisation. These include the lack of specialised juvenile courts, the excessive use of pretrial detention, the detention of minors together with adults, inadequate rehabilitation facilities and limited access to legal counsel. Based on a dogmatic analysis of the relevant legislation, the article argues that Cameroon's incomplete adherence to international standards of juvenile justice reflects a twofold reality, namely a normative commitment to the protection of children and a systemic failure in institutional enforcement. Finally, the article draws on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child to propose a set of recommendations for reform.