The Rassemblement de la Jeunesse Camerounaise association (Cameroonian Youth Rally, or RJC) has issued a statement that August 21 will be ‘celebrated’ as the national anti-gay day of Cameroon in its capital city of Yaoundé, stating it aims to glorify homophobia with a rally, a parade and vow to make it a yearly event.

LGBT people in Cameroon face police brutality, institutionalized homophobia, and a culture of fear and persecution and can face a penalty of six months to five years in prison. . If the offender is under the age of 21 a more severe punishment is likely. The level of homophobic campaigns launched by the church and media indicate that Cameroon is one of the most hostile countries in Africa for LGBT people.

During a recent televised debate, Sismondi Barlev Bidjocka, spokesperson for the RJC, stated that ‘homosexuality is a crime against humanity.’

There are no official associations to help LGBT people in Cameroon

In 2010, U.S. assistance to the Cameroon totaled over $26 million.