ENCOURAGING WOMEN


UNITING TOGETHER TO BRING MORE WOMEN INTO POLITICS


In spite of more women entering politics in Cameroon since the days of the one-party system, and also having attained its objective of having 30 per cent female representation in Parliament, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly writes that more still needs to be done. The need for a quota system along with women needing to learn to endure and persist in a male-dominated arena, are only a few of the requirements to help increase the numbers.


Hon. Monjowa Emilia Lifaka, MP Ms Lifaka is the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Cameroon. She is also a Member of Parliament for Buea Rural.


Hon. Monjowa Emilia Lifaka, MP


Not too long ago, the role assigned to women in Cameroon was that of a homemaker, of caring for the children and of feeding her family from the proceeds of subsistence farming. Subsequently, early attempts to be involved in politics or in any other male dominated activities were met with bitter disapproval, not only from men but also from women uninterested in politics.


Politics requires time and money


and with the limited resources women have, most prefer to channel


4 | The Parliamentarian | 2014: Issue Three - Cameroon


it towards meeting basic needs such as feeding, healthcare and education. Women make these basic needs more of a priority than men do, and ultimately prefer to stay out of politics and concentrate on looking after their families. In this area of democracy where


several political parties exist, the overwhelming majority of them are created by men, who subsequently occupy the highest positions and relegate the women to lower roles. In choosing candidates, for example, parties align more male substantive candidates than female ones, most of whom gladly or grudgingly accept to be alternates. As mentioned earlier, political


activity requires time and sacrifice. Some husbands, because of ego or other reasons, do not easily allow their spouses to travel long distances to attend political functions, some of which demand long absences from home. In addition, it has been observed that women vote more for male


candidates than for female counterparts. All of the above reasons, among others, account for low female participation in politics and, consequently, low representation in political institutions like the National Assembly. This is unfortunate, particularly as


it is generally accepted that women humanize the political world. They are less adversarial and more conciliatory. They are believed to be more practical, flexible and sometimes more committed in their respective positions than their male colleagues. Women, when given the opportunity, try to change the male bias in policy priorities. They do not believe in the commonly known saying that “politics is dirty”. For women to make a noticeable


difference in this respect, their numbers in Parliament must increase. That notwithstanding, the few that we are today try to make our voices heard and our presence felt. Women Parliamentarians contribute enormously to the day to


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