This was at the start of a two-day event in Yaounde where Muslim faithful and dignitaries gathered to reflect on ways of better integrating these categories of citizens in the national development mechanism
Prime Minister Dr Joseph Dion Ngute on Thursday July 13 called on women and young people to embrace the chance of contributing to the socio-economic development of the country.
The Head of Government made the call as he opened a two-day international event dedicated to discussing the empowerment of women and youth as well as the consolidation of peace.
The event with theme “Islam, women and youth empowerment and peace building,” was organised by the Council of Imams and Muslim Dignitaries of Cameroon (CIDIMUC) in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Opening the event as a representative of President Paul Biya, the PM emphasised the place of culture as one of the pillars in attaining the objectives of the 2030 National Development Strategy.
He also outlined some of the measures which the government has taken over the years to empower women and young girls to enable them find their space in the national development architecture.
The PM called on Muslim women and young people to take advantage of this, together with the positives of their religion, to help contribute in the building of a better and more prosperous and peaceful nation.
“Culture is an important lever of people’s development. In this context, it is essential that women and young people in general and those from the Islamic tradition in particular, see it as an instrument of personal development,” said the PM.
“That is why our 2030 development strategy emphasises that the government intends to train citizens who are rooted in their culture, respectful of the general interest and open to the world.”
Discussions during the Yaounde event, which brought together around a thousand participants, generally touched on how religious leaders, traditional authorities and civil society actors can be empowered to support peace and human rights protection initiatives.
Various speakers during the conference were unanimous on the importance of empowering and supporting women and young people who form part of the vulnerable segment of the population.
The General Coordinator of CIDIMUC, Dr Moussa Oumarou, said the international event was a platform for Muslim faithful in Cameroon and from around the world to underscore the crucial role women and young people can play in building peace and driving economic prosperity. He said the Yaounde conference was meant to set the template for continuous reflections on the issues.
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