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Cameroon
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Since 4 February 1984, when the Ministry for Women (MINCOF) was established, the government has taken specific action aimed at advancing Cameroon’s women, and enabling them to take their full place in society. As new areas of freedom and self-expression become accessible, women are deciding to leave the ghetto imposed on them. «Fighting poverty in all forms affecting women must always be a priority», maintains the Coordinator of the Movement of Women’s Organisations and Associations in Cameroon, in the speech she gave at the opening of their half-yearly conference on 27 April 2000. At a grassroots level, action taken together with the Ministry for Women has mainly entailed: Strengthening women’s management capabilities; drawing up information and training strategies; involving women in particular projects; integrating women into politics and modern economy; making the nation aware of the problems women face in this day and age.
As a vulnerable group, women often live in a position of extreme poverty. With no presence in the major decision-making spheres, they put much of the blame for their present difficulties on the economic recession that seriously affected the country between 1985 and 1995. According to the United Nations Programme for Development (PNUD), «The proportion of households living below the poverty line, has risen from 20% to 40%. Extreme poverty now affects 20% of families» (Cameroon: Towards A Sustainable Development, PNUD, 1995). Women’s leaders are aware of this situation and have appealed to their peers: «Being aware that poverty exists and to what degree, is not enough. We must invest heavily in building for development, check bad habits and offer our own long-term fundamental “treatment” for the prevailing “illness”».
The fight against poverty
With the support of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO)s and bilateral partners, women organise seminars and regularly publish leaflets on various topics. They react to day-to-day events by stressing specific notions such as: Responsible parenthood; marriage in Cameroon’s legal system; women in paid employment; single mothers and their children in Cameroon’s legal system; the land reforms of 6 July 1974 and their effect on women; women and their civil and political rights.
The Ministry for Women has combined with women’s organisations to produce appropriate radio and television programmes covering women’s issues. Both the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry for Women have made funds available to produce these programmes. The broadcasts deal with the major obstacles to the social, political and economic fulfilment of Cameroon’s women. Sections of the Constitution concerning women, provide a basis for the programme-contents. Emphasis is placed on a women’s right to engage in whatever business she might wish, and the equality of women before the law.
Round-table conferences on a regular basis have been organised throughout the country, thanks to finance provided by the Canadian Government through its support organisation, Productive Micro-Projects On Behalf Of Women (MPPF). Topics dealt with included: The role of women in advancing their own interests, and, women and access to credit from banks. This particular subject was the main topic discussed in a Workshop during the seminar for micro-finance professionals, held in Douala, 15-17 April, this year. The seminar’s theme was: «Women in Cameroon and the fight against poverty» and aimed «to bring together women’s leaders from the ten provinces of Cameroon, and provide them with the necessary know-how to discover what is presently available for them».
Stressing the importance of training, women members of the Friends of Cameroon (CERAC), (an NGO recently given state-approval and chaired by the President’s wife), used local networks to establish permanent structures for initiatives in rural areas. The person in charge of these, trains and supports women in rural areas to carry out small, income-generating occupations.
Also, 110 leading village women have attended seminars in provincial towns held in the Women’s Institutes, where practical and theoretic courses are given in domestic or professional skills, with emphasis placed on health matters. Through MINCOF, the authorities have contributed to the financing of these female micro-projects, via the Rural Organisations’ Support Fund (FONDAOR). In 1998, 24 private initiatives of this type were pinpointed and received funding amounting to 22 million CFA francs from public sources.
Still on the subject of training, a major part of the Women’s Participation In Health and Social Development project, involved local seminars, which attracted a good number of women. In March 1998, about ten women took part in a study-visit to Ghana to learn the method of smoking fish known as «chorkor».
Women and the modern economy
When considering the place of women in Cameroon’s efforts to achieve a modern approach to the country’s economic needs, a major attempt has been made to identify target groups, and follow up those that show promise. 200 women’s groups were thus pinpointed in the 10 provinces — groups whose main activity is food production. A number were able to benefit from support coming from both MINCOF and CERAC. CERAC is making every effort to provide women in rural areas with small items of agricultural equipment, such as chain-saws, motor-pumps, sewing machines, tapioca-grinding machines, fertilizers and other chemical products and ploughing implements.
The integration of women into Cameroon’s modern economic system takes place on two levels: research and support. Together with PNUD, MINCOF has undertaken a study of women and the banking system, so as to identify the bottlenecks which inhibit women having access to bank credit. Two other studies relate to development of small businesses, and the informal sector. On the support side, a group of business women, belonging to the Cameroonian Businesswomen’s Group (GFAC), was given a set-up grant to prepare for the National Forum for Women, planned for next summer.
Awareness of women’s problems
Throughout the country, and in all government ministries, a programme for developing awareness of the problems facing Cameroon’s women is taking place. This initiative is intended to take account of the female component in «action for development and democracy». Everyone has the right to be part of the drive for development, and so projects have been got off the ground, in line with recommendations from the International Conference on Population and Development, and the Vienna Declaration, constantly referred to by the women. These projects cover the following features: Women’s activities; single women; women’s cooperatives for food-production; rural activities; socio-economic indicators of women’s integration in development; a documentation centre on women and their needs. All these projects receive financial backing from multilateral and bilateral sponsors who are very sensitive to the impoverishment of Cameroon’s women.
Women still complain of particular hardships such as illiteracy. But according to a report from the Cameroon Human Rights Watchdog, published in March 2000, although poverty persists, there is a «clear trend towards keeping on with women’s self-development projects and even intensifying them». These projects are all-important if Cameroon’s women are to occupy their true place in society, but can only be brought to fulfilment when carried out with the support and encouragement of their menfolk.
 | Sylvestre Tetchiada, Cameroon, May 2000 — © Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment |
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