Kini Nsom
5 May 2008
The regional bureau of the German Technical Cooperation, GTZ, in Cameroon will, Monday, May 5, launch week long activities aimed at sustaining the drumbeat for gender equality in the country.
According to GTZ authorities, the outfit is in an onslaught to sensitise the public on the necessity to respect the fundamental rights of women and young girls. Dubbed "strong women and girls", the campaign highlights the view that women and young girls are indispensable actors of development in the society.
Speaking in a press briefing at the GTZ headquarters in Yaounde on April 29, one of the GTZ's officials, Immaculate Tembon, said gender inequality in an impediment to development and holds back from achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals, MDGs. She regretted that the plight of women and girls was being rendered more agonising by HIV/AIDS and problems of reproductive health.
While corroborating this view, Dr. Daniela Penleu of the German Development Cooperation, DED, decried the high rate of inequality between men and women. She said women were so much in a disadvantaged position that only few of them participate in politics and control less than 10 percent of the global revenue.
Speaking earlier, Dr. Gerd Eppel of GTZ said the organisation was fully embarked in the areas of health, decentralisation, the fight against poverty and environmental protection. He called on both men and women to galvanise their efforts to ward off violence against the woman and girl children.
During the press conference, a Yaounde based artist, Sarah Tchouatcha, portrayed the
plight of Cameroonian through her paintings.The weeklong activities for gender equality will be jointly organised by the GTZ, DED and the German Development Bank, KFW.
Educative talks on HIV/AIDS and women, the environment and the screening of a film, "Sisters-in-law". There will also be a debate on "Mother, girl, woman, engines of development.
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