An inter-ministerial meeting on the recommendations of the 59^th UN Commission on the Status of Women ends today in Yaounde.

Three months after the 59^th session of the Commission on the Status of Women which took place at United Nations Headquarters in New York, Cameroon’s Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Marie-Therese Abena Ondoa née Obama, yesterday, June 24, 2015 in Yaounde opened a two-day discussion on the theme, “Implementation of the Beijing Platform of Action in Cameroon: Achievements and Prospects.”

For two days, participants who are mostly representatives from different government ministries, UN systems in the country and women associations have been brainstorming on how to implement the conclusions of the 59^th session which amongst other things focus on transforming discriminatory social norms and gender stereotypes, ensuring the full and equal participation of women in decision-making at all levels and strengthening the responsibility of men and boys as far as gender equality and the achievement of the fundamental human rights of woman and girls are concerned.

Minister Marie-Therese Abena Ondoa acknowledged that during the 59^th session, reports revealed that no country had attained 100 per cent as far as gender equality was concerned. However, she noted that to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, the country has set up a socio-economic policy based on gender equality which has prompted concrete measures such as the integration of the gender perspective in the electoral law as well as the development of a programme that ensures the economic, educational and social inclusion of women. Although there is the political will of the Head of State to improve the living conditions of women in the country, there are challenges.  

Within these backdrops, the government has set priorities to strengthen the financial empowerment of women, promote gender equality and reproductive health, search and maintain peace in a bid to avoid armed conflicts where women are the most affected and also promote a better understanding of the issue of female entrepreneurship. By the end of today, participants at the meeting would have come out with measures that will improve the judicial framework and living conditions of women.