Yaounde: Caravan educates women on land ownership, rights.

The initiative is a collaboration between the Women and Performance Network, known by its French acronym, REFEP, and the Give Back to Mama movement. The event was held in Yaounde on Friday, August 29, 2025. It took place under the joint patronage of the Ministry of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure, MINDCAF, and the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and the Family, MINPROFF. 

The event was on the theme: “Women and Land Rights: One Woman, One Land Title”. Discussions covered topics such as women's leadership and empowerment, their legal rights and heritage, access to land titles and housing, and financial opportunities.

Several speakers from government and civil society provided insight into the challenges and the way forward. They underscored that while legal texts exist to grant women equal access to land ownership, a lack of knowledge often serves as a significant deterrent.

Head of the Studies, Planning, and Cooperation Division and Gender Focal Point at MINDCAF, Clarisse Kamgang, underlined the importance of securing women’s land rights.

“It is important that, at the end of these works, women understand the procedures for obtaining land titles. The title deed is not just a piece of paper; it has both economic and social impact. With a land title, a woman can secure a loan, guarantee her investment, and ensure her independence,” she said.

While detailing the issues her department is working to overcome, Kamgang mentioned that a 2019 study indicated that only 27% of women had access to land titles.

On her part, the Director of Economic Promotion of Women at MINPROFF, Isabelle Makota, expressed her ministry’s strong support for the initiative and the necessity to raise awareness among women on the need to obtain land certificates and the legal processes involved.

"It is a paradox that she who holds the economy of families and feeds the nations cannot own land," Makota said. 

She added that while traditions sometimes discriminate, the law is supreme, and her ministry works closely with MINDCAF to ensure women are aware of their rights and the available procedures.

“We encourage women to seek land titles, because ownership will allow them to mobilise funds and strengthen their activities,” Makota noted.

Enter caravan organisers

According to the President and Founder of REFEP, Mutlen Pauline Catherine Epse Bikay, the legal framework for equitable land title allocation are already in place. She explained that the caravan's purpose is to close the gap between the law and its application.

“This second stop allows women to become familiar with the steps needed to secure land titles. The laws are there, but many women do not know the procedures. Our role is to accompany them, to inform them, and to ensure they can claim their rights on equal terms," Mutlen Pauline explained.

In the same line, Samuel Mandeng, Focal Point for the Give Back to Mama movement explained the organisation’s mission to encourage Cameroonians abroad to contribute their skills and expertise to national development. He confirmed that a key part of his organisation's role in the caravan is to advocate for women in the diaspora.

“Our mission is to mobilise Cameroonians abroad to participate in government action through this project. We want women, both in Cameroon and in the diaspora, to know it is possible to obtain land titles and secure their investments,” he explained.

The event also drew support from the diaspora. The President of the High Council of Cameroonians Abroad and Peace Ambassador for the Diaspora, Dr Samuel Dongmo, noted that women in the diaspora are particularly vulnerable to land issues due to their distance from the country.

“When women have land titles, they will be better equipped to contribute fully to Cameroon’s emergence,” he noted.

About caravan

The Stop Caravan is a travelling series of events, visiting various ministries to raise awareness and provide practical information to women in the public and private sectors. The primary objective of the caravan is to enlist approximately 1,000 women into the One Woman, One Smart Home programme, which aims to provide secure living spaces. 

This goal is intertwined with the broader mission of addressing the systemic barriers that prevent women from securing their economic future. These barriers include limited access to education, a lack of professional opportunities, and the financial demands of obtaining a land title.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3552 of Tuesday September 02, 2025