The civil marriage law in Cameroon upholds the principle of marital freedom, granting every individual the right to select their partner and provide personal consent to the union.
According to the law, this consent must be both free and informed, free from any coercion or violence whatsoever.
Yet, despite these legal safeguards, entrenched cultural norms in certain Cameroonian communities continue to override individual choice. In some regions, particularly the West-Cameroon area, parental involvement in selecting a spouse remains the norm rather than the exception.
Waffo Marie Chantal, a resident of the Madagascar district in Yaoundé, explains the reasoning behind this practice: “When a parent chooses a spouse for their child, it’s to prevent them from making a poor decision. They thoroughly investigate the family’s background across generations, ensuring they aren’t linked to laziness or other undesirable traits. Once satisfied, they arrange meetings with the other family, and upon mutual agreement, the couple is informed and the customary marriage is finalized.” She emphasizes that in her community, marriages are seen as alliances between families, not merely between individuals.
However, this traditional approach is increasingly being challenged by younger generations. Audrey Wandji, who lives in the Biyem-Assi neighborhood, firmly rejects the idea of parental involvement in her personal choices: “This isn’t the past where parents dictated who their daughters married. I would never accept such a thing. I want a partner I love wholeheartedly—and that can only be someone I’ve chosen myself.”
