Chris Mbunwe
30 November 2008
Women of the Social Democratic Front, SDF, have requested the party hierarchy to respect the 25 percent quota women representation in councils and parliament during future elections.
Meeting recently in Bamenda for a two-day seminar on "Women and Politics", the women decried the domineering attitude of men at all levels in the party.The women lamented that for over the years no woman has been able to make it as mayor and that their representation in parliament is too negligible.
Organised by the SDF and sponsored by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, Britain, the seminar aimed at helping the women understand the problems that hold them back from fully participating in politics.
To the SDF Scribe, Dr. Mrs. Elizabeth Tamajong, the situation has been very disturbing. She, however, said the party has "continuously made every effort to increase the quota for women."
The average Cameroonian woman, according to Tamajong, wakes up each morning to a myriad of responsibilities and concerns that range from feeding her family, preparing children for school among others.
With all of these preoccupations, she said, most women do not have enough time to aim for political leadership or become involved in political and civic activities.Apart from these societal constraints, Dr. Tamajong said, a lot of women shy away from actively participating in politics.
"I believe that women's lives can get a lot better in any democracy only if the women make their voices heard at all levels. This is the only way barriers to their political participation can be brought down," Tamajong said.
A message by the SDF National Chairman, John Fru Ndi, read at the ceremony, stated that the seminar is similar to the one organised just before the July 22, 2007 twin elections. "This attention towards our women is a clear demonstration by the SDF to travel the road to progress with the real majority of our population," the message states in part.
Fru Ndi said the seminar will help educate the women and enhance their leadership skills needed as a support base in their onward march to political emancipation.He urged women to use their numerical strength to make political gains and play a determining role in changing the politics of the country.
On their part, Mrs. Emma Thompson and Ms Catherine Mary Jackson, both from the Labour Party in Britain, talked on the history of the Labour Party and the place of women in politics in Britain, respectively. Other topics included the concept of social democracy and its application and the place of the SDF in the political arena of Cameroon.
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First i have to thank our women for this courageous intention to acertain their political ambitions,i also appreciate the Labour Party for their moral,intellectual and financial support! With the world being a global village pregnant with stuff like human rights ,equal oportunities ,you name them,it is gradually becoming difficult to give A's rights without abusing those of B!What do we want?a society based on merit of on sex?I am sure any right thinking politician will find it difficult to answer this question!Women are a weaker sex physically but not intellectually,what are we to consider in modern society today?brut force… [Read Full Text]