The Law

THE LAW | Part 1a: Section 337—The “No-Go” Zone

If you’ve ever wondered why the “A-word” is treated like a Voldemort-level secret in Cameroon, you can thank Section 337 of the Penal Code. In our intro, we talked about the “Big Three” sections that govern our bodies. Today, we’re zooming in on the one that usually scares people the most. It’s the section that draws a red line around our choices. Let’s break down exactly what it says, who it targets, and why it’s giving us a major headache in 2026.

What Does Section 337 Actually Say?

Don’t let the legal jargon bore you—here is the “no-cap” translation. Section 337 essentially says that abortion is a crime. Period.

It breaks down the “punishments” into two main groups:

1. The Person Seeking Care (The “Consenter”) : The law says that any woman who “procures” (gets) an abortion for herself, or even just agrees to let someone else do it, is breaking the law.

  • The Price: You could face 15 days to 1 year in prison.
  • The Fine: You could be hit with a fine ranging from 5,000 to 200,000 CFA.

2. The Provider (The “Helper”) : This is where the law gets really aggressive. It doesn’t just go after the person getting the abortion; it goes after anyone who helps make it happen.

  • The Price: Jail time of 1 to 5 years.
  • The Fine: Fines from 100,000 to 2,000,000 CFA.

The “Plot Twist”: If the person helping is a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist), the law says the judge must give them the maximum penalty and can even ban them from practicing medicine ever again.

Why This Section is a Major Red Flag

Section 337 isn’t just a set of rules; it’s a barrier to safety. Because the penalties for doctors are so harsh, it creates a “Culture of Fear.”

  • Emergency Gatekeeping: Even when a young person comes to a clinic with complications from a miscarriage or an unsafe procedure, some providers are too scared to help because they don’t want to be accused of “assisting” an abortion.
  • The Stigma Spiral: Because the law calls it a “crime,” society treats it like a “sin.” This keeps young people from seeking accurate SRHR info, pushing them toward dangerous “backdoor” methods that don’t care about the Penal Code.
  • Economic Injustice: Let’s keep it 100—people with money can often find “discreet” safe care. Section 337 mostly hurts young people, students, and those in rural areas who don’t have the “connections” to bypass the system safely.

Wait, is there any hope?

If Section 337 was the only law, we’d be in a very dark place. But remember: The Law is a puzzle. While 337 sets the “No-Go” zone, Section 339 (which we’ll cover soon!) opens a small door for survivors of rape and those with health risks.

Also, Cameroon’s commitment to the Maputo Protocol basically says that the spirit of Section 337 is outdated. As Gen Z advocates, our job is to point out that healthcare is not a crime.

The Takeaway : Section 337 is the “Hammer,” but knowledge is the “Shield.” Knowing that this law exists is the first step toward advocating for its reform. We need laws that protect our health, not laws that threaten us with prison for making decisions about our futures.

SRHR is a Right, not a Luxury!