Reducing Gender Inequality in Central Africa Requires a Change of Mentalities, Experts say at Nkafu Debate

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

YAOUNDE, Cameroon – Reducing gender inequality in Central Africa demands a fundamental shift in societal mindsets, according to experts who spoke at the Nkafu Debate held on October 11 in Yaoundé. The panel stressed that while policies and legal frameworks are crucial, true gender equality can only be achieved if attitudes and cultural norms surrounding gender roles are transformed.

The public debate organized by the Nkafu Policy Institute, a think tank of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation, was on the theme “Reducing Gender Inequality in Central Africa Requires a Change of Mindsets.” The debate aimed at exploring these issues in greater depth, discussing the challenges, and proposing solutions for effective implementation of laws to address gender disparities for progress in Central Africa.

Throughout the discussion, the speakers underscored that a shift in cultural and social attitudes is essential to dismantling entrenched gender norms that perpetuate inequality. Traditional views that confine women to limited roles in the household and community continue to restrict women's opportunities in leadership, education, and employment.

“The problem of gender inequality in Central Africa is certainly patriarchy, which is still anchored in our culture. We also have social and cultural norms that weigh on both women and men. Because it is very obvious that the disparity between sexes does not favour development for both women and men,” said Laurelle Tchoumi, Programs Manager at Leap Girl Africa, a Gender-based violence specialist.

“Cultural and social weights weigh on women. Patriarchy is disturbing because it imposes a masculine domination on men. We know that the constitution of Cameroon is very clear on this. Men and women are born free and equal. So, using this term of patriarchy to continue to abolish women is a big barrier to the development of our societies in Central Africa.”

A recent study covering twenty African countries reveals gender discrimination in marriage, divorce, property rights, and custody. The discrimination continues the report, is institutionalized in the legal system and customary and patriarchal laws in ECCAS countries, including Cameroon. Admittedly, laws, institutions, and policies that aim at gender equality should ideally mitigate and eliminate constraints that disfavour women as members of society.

"It is important to put in place legally binding policies and reforms, given the slowness of changing mindsets." These reforms have the advantage of playing an educational role simultaneously," said Mylene Noubi Tchatchoua, President, of Women Leaders for Development Association and Financial Magistrate at the Supreme Court's Audit Bench.

“The problem of gender inequality comes from two problems. First, the cultural norms, because we are in a society that is very patriarchal, that is very conservative, which means that gender inequality is perpetuated because society itself has relegated women to domestic activities. And now, public policies themselves are not designed to have a real impact, a real cohesion, to be able to drive or to be able to promote this change of mentality. So, at this level, it would be necessary to educate the population and put in place effective and targeted reforms and laws that can promote gender equality.”

Participants agreed that while legislative measures, such as equal pay laws and anti-discrimination policies, have advanced women’s rights, these measures alone cannot fully eliminate inequality. In countries across Central Africa, where patriarchal structures dominate many aspects of life, the deep-rooted beliefs about men’s and women’s roles in society often slow the pace of reform.

“It is a very complex problem that has taken time to build. It's not an issue that can be easily addressed with one or two cosmetic measures. It's an issue that took hundreds of years to build and that has taken many important socio-political incidences to build up to. So, it's going to require very drastic measures, one of which is a total reform of our country's political institutions,” Ernest Fobin, a participant said.

“It's going to require a lot of sensitizations, a lot of education, to make people aware that the issue exists. Because you cannot claim a right, you cannot fight for a right you're not aware of, first of all. So, you need to build awareness, first of all, in many different settings.”

“In the private setting at home, in the community setting, in the education system, teachings that pertain to equality in general have to be integrated. So, it's going to require reform, institutional reform, political reform, and campaigns of raising awareness.”