Supporting civil society participation and gender equality

Context

Cameroon is affected by crises and conflicts that lead to violence and jeopardise social cohesion.

At the same time, women are crucial to the country's economy and society, especially in healthcare, social services and agriculture. The Cameroon Vision 2035 (Vision du Cameroun 2035) and the national development strategy (Stratégie Nationale de Développement, SND30) address gender equality and the fight against gender-based violence as essential issues to the country’s development. They also emphasise that civil society is an important partner for state institutions in realising the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

However, civil society organisations in Cameroon lack the technical expertise, financial resources and networks to promote the equal participation of the population in society and the economy and to assert these demands in political dialogue. Great potential for dealing with conflicts and promoting gender equality remains untapped, which prevents progress towards peaceful coexistence.

Objective

Civil society organisations in Cameroon contribute more effectively to the equal participation of the population in society and the economy. In the Northwest and Southwest Regions in particular, this enhances social cohesion and economic resilience while curbing gender-based violence.

Approach

The project promotes local civil society in developing and independently implementing approaches that change gender roles.

To this end, it networks civil society organisations and expands dialogue with local authorities. It also provides financial support for the organisations’ activities. By implementing training courses and promoting technical and commercial skills development, the project also supports the civil society organisations’ professionalisation efforts.

Last update: April 2024