The Vice-Chair of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and also the Special Rapporteur on Women’s Rights in Africa was received in audience by Prof James Mouangue Kobila on 22 February 2023 in Yaoundé.
At the end of the two-hour session, the day’s guest said “the reason for my presence in Cameroon, is to take part in the CSW68, African Disrupt. As you all are aware of the upcoming 8 March, when we celebrate the Women’s Day. So we are convening a CSW in New-York. This year will be the 68th session of the CSW and women all over the globe will be in New York to take part in this meeting.”
Still in the same spirit, she added “the Challenge we have in Africa is that, a lot of Women in Africa, are not in a position to participate in the meeting in New York due to so many reasons such as visa challenges and financial challenges. So, every year, FEMNET organises a CSW for Africa where African women can come together and discuss pertinent issues that concern the Rights of African Women and the resolutions adopted will be taken forward to the conference in New York. So, you can participate in the CSW without going to New York hoping that one day, the CSW will be hosted in Africa, so that African women may no longer face these challenges related to going to New York. This is actually the essence of CSW Disrupt.”
Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie during the process of attending this conference seized the opportunity to visit the Cameroon Human Rights Commission because the commission is a vital partner of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, has affiliate membership, take part in the sessions and work very closely with the Institution. She further emphasized: “We actually encourage each other in the work we do and build networks“.
She added: “I am very happy to reconnect with the former rapporteur on the rights of women in the African Commission who is also the focal point of the Rights of Women in Cameroon, and currently a Commissioner at the Cameroon Human Rights Commission. We discussed on synergies and collaboration, and on how we can work together in the Promotion and Protection of Women’s Rights within the African Continent.What we do in the African Commission is that, since we cannot be everywhere at a time, we work very closely with partners like national human rights institutions and the CSOs in various countries. For all these days I have been in Cameroon, I have been collaborating with many CSOs and so it is only right to visit the Cameroon Human Rights Commission“.
Addressing herself to African women, particularly those in Cameroon, she said: “My message to women in Cameroon just as to women all over the African Continent is that, we have a very progressive instrument of Human Rights in Africa which speaks for women’s rights globally and is adapted to our context as Africans, called the Maputo Protocol. In fact, last year, we celebrated 20 years of the Maputo Protocol.
But what we have realised is that a lot of women are not aware of the Protocol and we want women to use this instrument as a reference to advocate for their rights in Africa. Just yesterday, I gave a keynote presentation to the CSW and I raised awareness on the Maputo Protocol and on my mandate as the custodian of the Maputo Protocol to ensure that this instrument is not just a good instrument on paper but an instrument that can be used by women in Cameroon. This year the theme of the African Union is on Education and we all know the importance of education in Women’s rights because we celebrate women who have broken down barriers just through education.
So, education is very important and Iencourage women in Cameroon, to ensure that their mothers, sisters, daughters and every young woman prioritizes education especially for the young girl child because they are the future of tomorrow. I go back satisfied and will be pleased and honoured to further cooperate with the CHRC.”
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