Brenda Yufeh
7 May 2008
World statistics indicate that 80 per cent of agricultural products in Sub-Sahara Africa are produced by women. But 70 per cent of poor people are women.
Also, two-third of the world's population who do not write or read are women. Horst Gruner of the German Embassy in Yaounde says these figures have not reduced during the last years but rather increased. This is why the German Cooperation in Cameroon has launched a week to promote gender equality. The week which was launched on Monday, May 5, has been baptised "Femme et Filles Fortes". Horst Gruner says women and girls in the society need to be strong not physically but mentally and character wise to be able to survive things happening in the society.
The week which began at the Abbia cinema hall with the screening of the documentary "Sisters in Law" is dedicated to highlighting women questions in the German Cooperation activities in Cameroon. Horst Gruner who represented the German Ambassador in Cameroon at the launching of the week said the German Cooperation in Cameroon has three major domains in which they actively intervene. There is the health, government and decentralisation sector. In all these sectors, Horst Gruner said women's questions and equality of gender play an important role and they want to focus on the transversal questions of women during this week.
Films will be projected in Yaounde as well as discussions and display of artist on female questions and support to women throughout the week. "We are out to sensitise on women issues, bring people together who are interested in these questions and to raise the topic amongst those who have not heard much about it", Horst Gruner noted. Just as the female lawyers in the documentary "Sisters in Law" instilled strength and confidence in their female sisters who were undergoing torture in their marital home, Horst Gruner says the German Cooperation in Cameroon is out to instil mental and character strength in Cameroonian women.
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