The Protection of Illegitimate Children and the Search for Paternity: The Position under Cameroonian Law

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to show how Cameroonian law protects illegitimate children and how the law guides them in the search for paternity in Cameroon. Some of these children face a lot of challenges during the search for paternity, mostly when the presumed father is deceased. This paper examines the different methods used by competent courts in paternity determination, including the use of genetic tests which are very accurate in determining the relationship between parent and child based
on their genetic traits. The difficulties the court itself usually encounters are that these cases do not prosper when the alleged father is deceased. Cases are filed late at times, either because of the high cost of a DNA test or because there is an expectation that the presumed father may change his mind in favour of voluntary recognition or acknowledgment of the child. The aim of this paper is to encourage the use of DNA tests before the competent courts as the only accurate evidence in cases filed in court
for the search of paternity.