Women in Cameroon have unanimously expressed their gratitude to the President of the Republic, His Excellency Paul BIYA and his wife, First Lady Chantal BIYA, for their constant and substantial support towards the empowerment of womenfolk.
It was in a spirit of solidarity and patriotism that over 21,000 women from all walks of life conveyed this wonderful message of appreciation in the presence of Mrs Chantal BIYA on the occasion of the 39th edition of the International Women’s Day, which was commemorated on the 8th of March 2024.
The traditional march-past at the 20th May Boulevard in Yaounde, was equally an opportunity for women to make a clarion call for gender parity in tandem with the theme of this year: “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”.
In a special message to the women, First Lady Chantal BIYA said “the 39th edition of the International Women’s Day urges us to pool our efforts to advocate for the promotion of female leadership in all domains… and the protection of women and girls against sexual exploitation and abuse”.
The UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Education and Social Inclusion noted that achieving effective equality between men and women may appear tentative, but relevant measures that have been taken to address women’s issues in Cameroon need to be reconsidered in the ongoing reflections on adequate strategies.
A gala offered by Mrs Chantal BIYA at the Hilton Hotel closed the day that was characterised by a powerful demonstration of unity and optimism.
