Election Reporting in Cameroon : Encouraging Gender-Based Approaches

Ensuring efficient and gender inclusive reports during elections periods in Cameroon remains the concern of government and the civil society. It is within this context that the Cameroon Association of Women in Media (AFMEC) in partnership with the United States Embassy in Yaounde is organising a three-day symposium to enhance the reporting skills of journalists during elections. Organised under the theme: “Ensuring a gender sensitive media coverage of upcoming council and legislative elections in Cameroon,” the training bringing together 70 women from the 10 regions of the country was opened in Yaounde on August 21, 2019 by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Communication, Felix Zogo, on behalf of the Minister of Communication, in the presence of the Board Chair of the Electoral Board of Elections Cameroon and the President of the National Communication Council amongst other officials.   
Opening the workshop and lauding the initiative, Felix Zogo said the symposium comes at a crucial moment in the run-up to the parliamentaryand municipal elections in Cameroon. “In this process, the media, through their mass education and outreach missions can contribute to a greater participation of all social actors in these future elections. The role of media women is even more decisive, hence the importance of this national symposium which is focused on considering the gender approach in the media coverage of municipal and legislative elections in Cameroon,” he stated. 
To the National Coordinator of AFMEC, Becky Bessong Tchonko, the main ob...