Breast Ironing, a Silent Case of Violence Against Girls in Cameroon

Abstract

Breast Ironing is a painful practice carried out to retard the growth of the breasts using foreign objects. It is a torturous practice with proven long–term physical and psychological effects. Though it was and is a culturally accepted process understood to protect young girls from unwanted sexual advances and early pregnancies, its course and effects inevitably result in human rights violations and amount to torture. Breast Ironing has been qualified as gender–based violence and violence against women and girls condemned by international and regional treaties which also direct states to take additional measures to protect women and girls and to prevent the occurrence of such acts.

This article aims to show that despite breast ironing being a harmful act that can be classified as torture and violence targeting girls, the State of Cameroon having ratified most conventions protecting women and the girl child from violence has not taken adequate measures to fulfil its obligations to that effect.