The plan whose examination started yesterday aims at boosting women's participation.

Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) with the support of UN Women and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), have drawn up a strategy plan on "Gender and Elections" intended to boost the participation of women in politics and increase their numbers in elective positions. The opening ceremony to validate the strategy plan took place at the Mont Febe Hotel in Yaounde, yesterday, June 11 and will continue in a two-day workshop in Mbalmayo beginning today, June 12.

During the workshop, the elections and referenda governing institution, Elections Cameroon and other actors in Cameroon's electoral process such as political parties, civil society organisations, administration, media practitioners and voters in general will master the plan before validating it. This will enable them contribute in rendering operational the equal participation of women and men in the electoral process. The plan comes within the backdrop of marked improvements in women's participation in politics. Statistic from ELECAM show that out of 7,525,532 registered voters in the October 9, 2011 presidential elections, there were 3,853,208 women and in the same election, there were two female candidates out of 23. There are 25 female Members of Parliament out of 180 in the current eighth legislative period and 23 female mayors out of 360 mayors in the country.

The Deputy Director General of Elections in ELECAM, Erik Essousse who opened the workshop, called on political stakeholders to guarantee the equal participation of men and women in politics. He also disclosed measures taken by the institution to ensure gender balance. Citing the 2005 population census results in the country, he said there were over 10 million women in Cameroon, representing over 50.6 per cent of the total population. ELECAM, the senior official said, disseminates messages on the place of women in politics and called on women to use the awaited biometric recompilation of the electoral register to leave indelible imprints in the political landscape of the country.

The Secretary General of the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and the Family, Saibou Nassourou who represented the Minister, said the strategy plan was in line with government policy as contained in the harmonised electoral code. The plan to be finally validated on Wednesday, June 13, in Mbalmayo will guarantee the equal participation of women and men in politics. Saibou Nassourou called on participants to seek pertinent actions to promote the gender approach in elections.

Speaking on behalf of UN Women, its representative in Cameroon, Marie Goretti Nduwayo recommended laws that will ensure more representation of women in politics.