At national dialogue in Yaounde: CARE Cameroon drums collective action on women’s empowerment, gender equality goals.

It brought together public institutions, government, parliamentarians, civil society organisations, technical and financial partners, community leaders, and allies.

The Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Prof Marie Therese Abena Ondoa, opened the event on April 7, and closed it yesterday. 

Organisers said the workshop aims to foster transparent dialogue among stakeholders, build consensus, and define clear action plans and commitments to strengthen collaboration.

Minister Abena Ondoa, in her address, explained that the national dialogue will help increase the active participation of women in politics, which is a powerful lever for social transformation, justice, and equity.

She said no society can claim harmonious and sustainable development by marginalizing more than half of the population. 

The minister expressed optimism that notable progress has been recorded in recent years, marked by an increase in legislative (33%) and municipal (11%) representation.

She, however, regretted that despite displayed political will, this progress remains below the expectations of regional and international commitments subscribed to by the country, considering that women make up about 51% of the country’s population.

Barriers facing women

Minister Abena Ondoa further highlighted that women continue to face socio-cultural burdens, unequal access to resources, limited knowledge of their rights, and gender-based violence in political spaces. 

The workshop, she noted, was to address these through inclusive national dialogue, targeting a quota law ensuring at least 30% women in decision-making and political positions.

The minister acknowledged that despite women's daily contributions to family and national stability, this remains poorly reflected in decision-making spaces. 

“Unfortunately, this contribution is not yet reflected in a concrete way, it challenges us all, in view of our ambition to build a society based on equal rights,” she said, stressing the need to meet the expectations of communities and women already serving equitably across society.

Time for action

According to Prof Abena Ondoa, the moment for observation is over and action must follow. She called for the creation of an environment that nurtures strong, capable, and dedicated female leadership.

“We need community leaders, frontline women, local authorities, and male allies to anchor this advocacy in social realities and give it full popular legitimacy. We need a truly engaged civil society capable of transforming this issue into a lasting civic imperative,” she stated. 

The minister added that the private sector must tangibly demonstrate that diversity drives performance and innovation, while parliamentarians carry this agenda into legislation together forging the strong national alliance the workshop seeks to build.

“I expect from this meeting a space for exchange and consultation… To identify pertinent levers, to lift obstacles, and to draw out concrete recommendations and action perspectives so that women are present at all discussion tables,” she urged.

The minister urged participants to ensure the workshop's recommendations move beyond paper and translate into real action for Cameroonian women.

Enter CARE Cameroon Country Director

The Country Director of CARE Cameroon, John Mubalama Kashamba, said the workshop reflects the ministry’s commitment to building a structured dialogue around a critical national issue.

He reaffirmed the organisation’s dedication to gender equality, noting that: “We support this dialogue because we are convinced that no sustainable development can be built without the effective participation of women in the decisions that shape collective life”. 

This, Mubalama added, is essential to building more resilient and equitable societies. He further stressed that progress requires collective effort.

“We believe that such progress cannot result from the action of a single actor. It requires a partnership approach based on the complementarity of roles, respect for institutional leadership, and the synergy of everyone’s contributions,” Mubalama noted.

He clarified that CARE Cameroon’s role is not to replace institutions but to support consultation spaces and accompany constructive national dynamics.

On expectations, he said: “We hope for a strengthened common understanding of the issues, consolidate the convergences between different actors, discuss clear paths for action, commitments, and a reinforced collaborative framework capable of supporting the next steps of the process.”

Mubalama concluded that the workshop’s success would be measured not by declarations but by the collective ability to turn dialogue into action. 

He reaffirmed CARE Cameroon’s readiness to remain a committed partner alongside MINPROFF and other stakeholders toward a more inclusive society.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3755 of Thursday April 09, 2026