Interview: CWP Chair, Senator Emma Lafon

Meeting last October 3 at the Yaoundé Hilton Hotel, Commonwealth Women’s Parliamentarians’ Steering Committee assessed Cameroon’s preparedness and laid the ground work for their conference slated for October 8.

Talking to the press, Cameroon Chairperson for Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, Senator Emma Lafon said “After Beijing, the CWP adopted the target of women in parliament, women in the administration and promotion of the economic life of women. During our conference, we will be evaluating the path covered by the Commonwealth since the Beijing conference. We are getting to the end of the 2015 deadline set for the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs thus; we will evaluate what has been the contribution of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to that.”

What expression do you have of Cameroon since your arrival?

Let me first of all tell you that this is the first time I am visiting Cameroon. People are friendly and the weather is also enjoyable.

What are your expectations?

My expectation is that this conference delegates to apply their minds fully on the focus of our deliberations. People must feel free during the workshop discussions to contribute their own ideas, share their country’s experience.

What has CWP Africa been doing so far?

One of the objectives of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians is to look into gender issues especially to empower women to be present in Parliament and other decision making structures. We call on governments to associate the woman in all aspects of life so that she can have the opportunity to participate in the development of her country.

What are the challenges that you female Parliamentarians face in politics especially in Africa?

There are numerous challenges we face as women parliamentarians. We are struggling to change the cultural, traditional and religious perception that women are supposed to be followers and not leaders of politics. We want to break this barrier in order to give the woman the chance. It is the duty of all women parliamentarians to advocate for laws to be adopted that promote gender equality. A woman is just like an egg, when you break it something good comes out of it.

What are you expecting to emerge from the CWP General Assembly meeting in Yaoundé?

In prelude to the general assembly, we held a steering committee meeting during which every regional branch presented reports of their activities. Here we laid the groundwork for this general assembly.

How has CWP been empowering women parliamentarians in Africa?

The CWP African Region has specific plans that cover wide raging methods relating to the empowerment of the woman. We are focused on how to increase the women representation in Parliament and involvement in decision making. We are lobbying for at least 40% representation of the women in Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in Africa. We have been organizing several advocacy workshops in Africa in order to lobby for this. We equally have the challenge of establishing CWP chapter in each country.

In Namibia for instance, the ruling party adopted a 50/50 representation after signing a protocol for development by 2015. It is not easy to arrive at this because even after it took us much to bring the ruling party in amending its constitution in 2002, it is only this year that it has gone operational.

Opposition parties have also joined in this move and we are pleased with that.

Do you have any word for the organization committee of this 60th CPA Conference in Cameroon?

I can say that the conference is well organized as I observe. So, I wish them the best. They are friendly, they are doing their best to make us comfortable and we are indeed enjoying the hospitality of Cameroonians.