Minister rallies stakeholders to strengthen political inclusion of persons with disabilities.

The two-day gathering started Wednesday, July 23, at the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services, CBCHS, facility at Mvan, Yaounde. 

The event saw the participation of top officials from the ministry, the CBCHS, and officials from Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, as well as members of CONRHA's general assembly.

The session is under the theme: “The Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Political Life: Challenges, Issues, and Prospects for Inclusive Development”. 

Officials say the session aims to achieve several pivotal objectives that reflect Cameroon’s commitment to the rights and full participation of persons with disabilities in national development. 

Key among them is raising awareness among CONRHA members and partners on the importance of political involvement by PWDs.

Speaking during the ceremony, Minister Irene Nguene revealed that estimated 3.48 million Cameroonians live with disabilities which is roughly 14% of the national population. 

She said the political representation and engagement of this category remains disproportionately low. The minister said while government has taken steps in promoting equal opportunities, significant barriers persist from inaccessible polling stations to societal discrimination and lack of inclusive communication.

“Our democracy cannot be complete when millions of citizens remain on the margins of decision-making processes. Nothing for us without us,” the minister said. 

Minister Nguene echoed the global disability rights slogan, reinforcing the need for persons with disabilities to be active participants, not passive observers in shaping national policies.

The member of government reiterated the government's alignment with international standards, particularly Article 29 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which guarantees PWDs’ political rights. 

“President Paul Biya remains committed to advancing the rights of all citizens, including those with disabilities,” she said, while calling on political parties to make their candidate lists more inclusive and accessible.

She further stressed that inclusion is not charity but a duty of justice, adding.

“The walls of indifference are falling, and the era of hiding persons with disabilities is long gone. Disability can affect anyone at any time. We must act now,” the minister urged. 

She added that: “We must work to ensure that Article 29 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities becomes a lived reality in Cameroon—not just a theoretical commitment”. 

On his part, an official from ELECAM, Frank Ekoto, outlined the strides made by the elections management body in promoting social inclusion. 

Ekoto said since 2011, the institution has taken meaningful steps toward electoral inclusion across three key pillars: accessible information and communication, training of staff in electoral assistance, and improving physical access to polling sites. 

With the integration of biometric registration, he said ELECAM has also begun collecting data on the type and extent of disabilities among voters, allowing for more precise planning and tailored assistance.

“All ELECAM sites under construction now follow accessibility guidelines,” Ekoto stated, citing the inclusion of ramps and other infrastructure improvements at polling stations.

He added that communication materials are increasingly being developed in accessible formats such as sign language and braille.

Despite registering 33,985 voters with disabilities, he said ELECAM estimates the potential electorate within this demographic to be over one million. 

"We are far from the finish line," Ekoto admitted, adding that: "Challenges remain, especially in the areas of voter education, civil rights awareness, and media portrayal of persons with disabilities”. 

Civil society mobilization, inclusive platforms

The Platform Inclusive Society for Persons with Disabilities, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs, ELECAM, and UN agencies, has launched a countrywide mobilization campaign encouraging registration and active participation in the electoral process. 

According to its Executive Director, Tchotcham Emmanuelle, the movement has already registered thousands of new voters with disabilities.

“What we now need is sustained effort to ensure these voters don't just show up to cast ballots, but are also able to run for office,” she stated. 

“Our hope is that in the 2025–2026 elections, we will have persons with disabilities on the ballots not just behind them,” Tchotcham concluded. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3514 of Friday July 25, 2025