Promotion Of Girls' Rights: National Forum Underway In Yaounde

A three-day forum on the Protection of Children from Violence and the Promotion of Girls’ Rights in Cameroon is ongoing at the Yaounde Conference Centre. While opening the national forum which brings partners from Africa and beyond, the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Marie-Therese Abena Ondoa said much has been done to promote the rights of girls in Cameroon, but acknowledged that much still has to be done, for the country to become a leader in terms of care given to girls.
Minister Marie-Therese Abena Ondoa said the forum focuses on a key segment of the society. That is children, who make up over half of the population of the country. Specifically, the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family indicated that there are over 6.5 million girls in Cameroon, and most of them are over 10 years. Looking at their enrolment rate in nursery schools, for example, Marie-Therese Abena Ondoa said only 25 per cent of girls have access to this important level of education. She lamented that more than half of the girls who would have been attending secondary schools are not doing so.
Looking at the care given to the girl child in Cameroon, the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family said such statistics call for the government to review its performance and overall strategies in achieving the rights and welfare of children, and also to pay particular attention to girls’ rights and their vulnerability. Professor Marie-Therese Abena Ondoa reiterated that the government will henceforth invest more in girls through the creation of better opportunities for them to have access to quality health services, education and rich nutrition that are essential for their growth and development. “The girls themselves must play a leading role in this domain,” the Minister underlined.
The National Forum is organized by the African Child Polic...