By Emmanuel Wirndzerem Verdzeka
Some women leaders from Kumbo Municipality have acquired basic leadership and governance skills during a capacity building workshop which held at the Kumbo Council Chambers from February 8 to 9.
The Youth Outreach Programme-Cameroon in partnership with Kumbo Council organised the two-day workshop, which Voluntary Service Overseas, VSO, funded. The workshop was aimed at imparting knowledge and skills to women leaders to increase women’s eventual participation in local council affairs and permit them take up leadership positions in their respective communities.
The workshop held against a background of problems hindering women from fully participating in the council’s socio-economic and political life. After identifying inadequate education, poor information flow, jealousy, gossiping and, above all, the negative influences of some religious, traditional and cultural beliefs, as some of the problems that contribute to relegating women to the background, participants resolved to leave no stone unturned to improve the situation of women in Kumbo.
Some of the resolutions reached during the workshop were the need to create adult literacy centres for women, increase sensitisation to the importance of educating the girl child and the continuous building of women’s capacities especially in income generating activities. They also underpinned the need for potential female leaders to be identified and trained.
As a woman in a leadership position, Kumbo First Deputy Mayor, Margaret Lukong Beri, who is also North West Female Mayors Association chairperson, called on women leaders to be role models. She urged them to use the knowledge and skills acquired during the workshop to bring about behavioural change in their communities. She promised Kumbo Council would redouble ongoing efforts to improve on the situation of women in Kumbo.
Two Youth Outreach Programme development consultants, Mary Bakia Moulobe and Clotilda Waah, co-facilitated the workshop. At the end of the workshop Mrs. Bakia told reporters most traditional systems that disfavoured women are now becoming more inclusive. She said this is a sign the message is getting across. Though male chauvinism persists, she said any effort to improve on the situation of women cannot succeed without men.
The workshop held against a background of problems hindering women from fully participating in the council’s socio-economic and political life. After identifying inadequate education, poor information flow, jealousy, gossiping and, above all, the negative influences of some religious, traditional and cultural beliefs, as some of the problems that contribute to relegating women to the background, participants resolved to leave no stone unturned to improve the situation of women in Kumbo.
Some of the resolutions reached during the workshop were the need to create adult literacy centres for women, increase sensitisation to the importance of educating the girl child and the continuous building of women’s capacities especially in income generating activities. They also underpinned the need for potential female leaders to be identified and trained.
As a woman in a leadership position, Kumbo First Deputy Mayor, Margaret Lukong Beri, who is also North West Female Mayors Association chairperson, called on women leaders to be role models. She urged them to use the knowledge and skills acquired during the workshop to bring about behavioural change in their communities. She promised Kumbo Council would redouble ongoing efforts to improve on the situation of women in Kumbo.
Two Youth Outreach Programme development consultants, Mary Bakia Moulobe and Clotilda Waah, co-facilitated the workshop. At the end of the workshop Mrs. Bakia told reporters most traditional systems that disfavoured women are now becoming more inclusive. She said this is a sign the message is getting across. Though male chauvinism persists, she said any effort to improve on the situation of women cannot succeed without men.
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