Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Marie Thérèse Abena Ondoa,
Cameroon’s new national family policy has been validated. The Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Marie Thérèse Abena Ondoa, officially announced its validation at a crucial two-day workshop at the CNFDP conference room in Yaounde.
This strategic gathering to that ran from February 17 to 18, brought together a diverse coalition of public administration partners, technical and financial stakeholders, and Civil Society Organizations.
The primary objective was to engage in a high-level brainstorming session to finalize a document that will serve as the definitive roadmap for family welfare and social stability in Cameroon.
For Minister Abena Ondoa, the family is far more than a simple social institution; it is a vital sanctuary for life, love, and hope where individual identities and life projects are first designed. She emphasized that investing in the family unit is equivalent to consolidating the very foundations of Cameroonian society.
By formalizing this national policy, the government aims to create a structured environment where aspirations can be nurtured and the fundamental rights of every family member protected.
Despite its central role, the Cameroonian family is currently navigating a period of profound transformation and vulnerability. The Minister noted that rapid urbanization, economic shifts, and social crises are significantly altering traditional roles and expectations. Furthermore, the pervasive impact of new technologies has introduced new dynamics into family relationships, sometimes exposing households to geographic separation or heightened social tensions that require modern, policy-driven interventions.
The workshop ended with the conclusion that while the family remains an essential pillar of social cohesion, it requires active state support to withstand contemporary pressures.
By addressing economic difficulties and social mutations through this new policy framework, Cameroon is positioning itself to better protect its citizens. Expectations are high as to the finalized document which is to provide a comprehensive strategy for building resilient families capable of driving the nation’s socio-economic progress in an ever-changing global landscape.