The Senate: Women empowerment discussed

The Minister of Women Empowerment and the Family, Marie Therese Abena Ondoa has called on Parliament to play an active role in voting laws that promote gender equality in the country.

The Minister made the call during a workshop at the Senate chaired by Senate Vice President, Jean Takougang this 8th July 2015 at the Yaounde Conference Centre.

On the occasion, the Minister updated the Senators on discussions and resolutions made at the 59th session of the United Nations Commission on the Conditions of Women all over the world that held from the 9th – 20th of March 2015 in New York, U.SA.

During the session, issues especially on female candidacy during local elections and early marriages were raised.

The Minister of Women Empowerment and the Family recommended that men be engaged in promoting women empowerment. She also called on the use of the Persons and Family Code drafted by the Prime Minister’s Office to provide solutions to the numerous issues about women, raised at the Senate conclave.

Minister Marie Therese Abena also used the workshop to criticise the enticing of young girls into job opportunities abroad only to be maltreated and enslaved after crossing the border.

The Minister assured the Senators that following testimonies from repatriated female slave workers, measures will be taken by Government to rescue such girls from oppression in foreign lands.