PROMOTING WOMEN’S ECONOMIC RIGHTS IN CAMEROON (WERC PROJECT)  

“Promoting Economic Empowerment of People with Disabilities in Cameroon”.

 June 22 2022, Online Event (Zoom – Register Here)

1. Background

In Cameroon, disability affects nearly 6 percent of the population or more than one million individuals (Nko’o Amvene, 2014). The most common types of disability involve the limbs (especially lower), sight, hearing, and intellect. Their causes are generally related to road accidents, but also perinatal injuries. Not surprisingly, people living with disabilities in Cameroon have lower activity levels than normal people, and some inequalities exist between men and women with disabilities. According to the Third General Census of Population and Housing (3rd RGPH) conducted by the Central Bureau of Census and Population Studies in Cameroon (BUCREP) in 2010, unemployment rates are 16.4% for all people living with disabilities, 16.5% for men and 16.1% for women. The breakdown by branches of activities shows that 71.1% of people with disabilities are found in agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing. , with 90.6% in rural areas and 29.1% in urban areas. In terms of salary levels, people with disabilities also have relatively low employment rates, i.e. 19% overall, 23.4% for men and 12.7% for women, 8.8% in rural areas and 39.8% in urban areas. The breakdown by employment sectors shows that 10.4% of people with disabilities work in the formal or modern sector, 26.1% in urban areas and 2.6% in rural areas; 21.6% in the informal non-agricultural sector, 47.1% in urban areas and 9.0% in rural areas. In the informal agricultural sector, they account for 68.0% overall, 26.8% in urban areas and 88.3% in rural areas. With the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals and the “Leave No One Behind” agenda, there is a global momentum to ensure that people with disabilities are included and addressed in overall in overall development efforts. It is against this backdrop that the Nkafu Policy Institute of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation is organizing a panel discussion on the theme: “Promoting Economic Empowerment of People with Disabilities in Cameroon”.

2. Objectives

The main objective of this event is to discuss the effectiveness of policies and programs put in place in Cameroon to facilitate community integration and economic empowerment of people living with disabilities. Specifically, it will be to:

• Analyze the economic situation of women and men living with disabilities in Cameroon and identify differences among them.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of existing programs and policies available for people living with disabilities in Cameroon;
• Assess the impact of programs and policies for people living with disabilities in Cameroon on their economic empowerment;
• Identify practical steps that could be taken to strengthen the economic empowerment of people living with disabilities in Cameroon;
• Propose actionable recommendations that could support the development of policies to promote the economic empowerment of people with disabilities in Cameroon.

3. Target audience

This event is open to policy makers, including authorities from the Ministry of Social Affairs, women-led organizations, women leaders, youth leaders, and the general public.

4. Expected outcome

The main expected result is to have public authorities and civil society actors well informed about the importance of promoting the economic rights of people living with disabilities in Cameroon.

5. Contact

Email: [email protected]  / Tel: (+237) 22 31 15 84 / 654 86 72 54.