Women still stigmatized in Cameroon - Survey

Cameroonian women continue to suffer from the lack of consideration and dishonorable practices in their own country, according to excerpts of a report released by the National Statistics Institute (INS).

According to the survey by MICS (MICS5), conducted in 2014 in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and as part of a global program which covered a sample of 10,213 people, 11.4% of women against 1.0% of men aged between 15 and 49 years were married before the age of 15.

On the age difference between spouses, the percentage of young married women and their partner was 10 years representing 42.5% among 15-19 years and 39.3 % among 20-24 years.

In the same vein, 11.4% of them were married before age 15 and 36.0% got married before they turned 18 years.

In terms of marital status, 24.1% of Cameroonian women in polygamous marriage were between 15-49 years.

On domestic violence, persons aged between 15 to 49 years had 36.1% by women and 39.0% of the men believed that a husband is justified in beating his wife because she goes out without telling him, neglects the children, argues with him, refuses to have sex with him, burns the food, among many other reasons .

The contraceptive prevalence rates were 34.4%, used by married women aged between 15 and 49 years by using a traditional or modern method.

In terms of genders education indicators, the INS survey reported garish disparities between women and men; both in the preparation and attendance at both the primary and the secondary.