Women Political Empowerment Handbook Available

Cameroonian women will go for the September 30, 2013 legislative and municipal elections with a proper understanding of the country's political process, functioning and access to institutions and the need to cast votes for female candidates. This will be thanks to the availability of an empowerment instrument, "A Political Training Manual For Cameroonian Women". The bilingual manual was presented and distributed freely on September 4, 2013 in Yaounde during a ceremony chaired by the Minister of Women's Empowerment and the Family, Abena Ondoa née Obama Marie Thérèse in the presence of some cabinet ministers and political leaders.

The presentation ceremony of the manual served as an occasion for the sharing of knowledge to enable women accede to more decision-making and elective positions in politics. The skills shared during presentations on causes of women's failure in politics and solutions, as well as women's experiences in politics, errors to avoid and practical advice to candidates, will be put into practice during the September 30 elections. Female political icons such as former politician Efimba Belle Lydia, Senator Enoh Lafon Emma and former Minister and current board member of Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, Tsanga Delphine gave practical advice to women. Other speakers were the outgoing Cameroon Democratic Union, CDU Member of Parliament, Hermine Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya, outgoing Mayor of Yaounde VII Council, Jean Simon Ongola and Professor Charly Gabriel Mbock. For women to accede to more political positions, they need self-trust, vision, focus, know themselves, their communities, adversaries, improve social skills, sharpen negotiation skills, get expertise, know their strengths and weaknesses and do the best they can do.

Minister Abena Ondoa while presenting the manual described it as a didactic instrument and a modus operandi candidates will use in the September 30 polls. The handbook produced with the assistance of UN-Women represented during the event by Alain Sibenaler has five chapters. The first chapter has generalities on some usual concepts and the institutional, administrative and political environment in Cameroon; chapter two focuses on people's representatives and their duties. Chapter three deals with the electoral process; chapter four managing electoral disputes and chapter five participation to political life.