Regional Development Plan : Councillors Urged To Incorporate Gender Aspects

Within the framework of promoting inclusive participation in the development of the country, the Minister of Decentralisation and Local Development, Georges Elanga Obam on November 9, 2021 presided at the opening of a capacity-building workshop of Regional Councils on taking into account aspects related to gender equality in the process of preparing Regional Development Plans (RDP). Participants at the three-day workshop organised by the Ministry of Decentralisation and Local Development, and UNWOMEN were from the Regional Councils of the Centre, East and South Regions. 
In his introductory statement, Minister Georges Obam said Cameroon is involved in an irreversible process of decentralisation, reason for the December 2019 law on the General Code of Regional and Local Authorities. The Code, the Minister said, gives Regional Councils the responsibility of elaborating their development plans in the economic, social and cultural domains, which explains why government recently outlined the guidelines for the drafting of the said plan. According to the Minister, taking into consideration aspects of gender in the plan fast-tracks inclusive development. “Values of human dignity, justice and solidarity in the share of powers at the regional levels are respected when gender is taken into account while elaborating the development plan,” the Minister stated, adding that decentralisation is an aspect of democracy which encompasses gender equality. 
To the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Prof. Marie Theresse Abena Ondoa, the Constitution provides equal rights for citiz...