PROMOTING WOMEN’S ECONOMIC RIGHTS IN CAMEROON (WERC PROJECT)
9th PANEL DISCUSSION

“Promoting the Creation of Women-Led Businesses in Cameroon”

Date: 14th July 2022  –  Time: 3pm – 4;30pm (GMT+1)
Venue: Online (Register Here)

1) Background

In Cameroon, women especially married women face many difficulties in starting their businesses. For illustrative purposes, married women must obtain their spouse’s authorization to start a business or register their company. In addition, according to the decree N° 2007/254 of September 4th, 2007 regarding the characteristics of obtaining a national identity card, married women need to present a marriage certificate before obtaining a national ID. However, this national ID is needed when registering a business and when applying for a loan from a financial institution. A marriage certificate is equally a requirement for a loan grant for women in Cameroon. According to the Doing Business Index report (2020), there is gender inequality in business creation as follows: the number of procedures required (is currently 5 procedures for men and 6 for women), the time needed (is 13 days for men and 14 for women), the official fees required, the cost in the percentage of income per capita (is 24.6% for men and 24.9% for women). With this in mind, the Nkafu Policy Institute of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation with the mission and vision of canalizing Africa’s economic transformation is organizing a panel discussion on the theme: “Promoting the creation of women-led businesses in Cameroon

2) Objective

The main objective of this event is to discuss strategies that should be implemented by the government and other actors in the entrepreneurial ecosystem to promote the creation of women led businesses in Cameroon. Specifically, it will be a matter of:

· Analyzing the impact of women-led businesses on economic performance in Cameroon.

· Examining the procedures of creating businesses in Cameroon.

· Identifying difficulties encountered by women in the process of creating businesses in Cameroon.

· Discussing the opportunities to promote a maximum of women-owned businesses in Cameroon;

· Proposing some policy recommendations on promoting the creation of women-led businesses in Cameroon.

3) Target audience

This event is open to policy makers, women-led organizations, women leaders, youth leaders, financial institution leaders, and the general public.

4) Outcome of the event

At the end of the event, it is expected that the participants’ knowledge on how to advocate for the promotion of women-led businesses will be improved.

5) Panelists

· Dr. Fotabe Elmine, Founder and CEO, Fotabe University of Cameroon (FUNIC);

· Mr. Jean Blaise Nkonga, Senior Director of Operations, Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation;

· Mrs Carole Mbessa Elongo, Co-Founder, Deputy Managing Director Business Facilities Corporation SA (BFC), Executive Member Management Committee Douala Port Weighing Services SAS DPWS/Registrar of the Prime Ministry for the Cameroon Business Forum;

· Mrs. Manuela Kamadjou, Founder of KEBE HOME, Cameroon.

Moderator

Prof. Robert Nantchouang, Director of the Nkafu Policy Institute.

6) Contact

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