Women in Cameroon
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Labels: Cameroon Women
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 12:24 PM,
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Francoise Mbango of Cameroon
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Defending Olympic champion Francoise Mbango of Cameroon broke the Olympic record of the women's triple jump at the Beijing Olympics here on Sunday and retained the title.
In her second attempt, Mbango landed 15.39 meters. The previous record was held by Inessa Kravets of Ukraine in 15.33 meters.
Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia, took her second Olympic silver after Sydney games with a jump of 15.32 meters. She was also the bronze medalist in Athens games.
The bronze went to Hrysopiyi Devetzi of Greece, who cleared 15.23 meters, who jumped 15.33 meters in the qualification at the Athens games, the best Olympic effort so far.
The reigning champion created the new Olympic record in her second jump, and then posted lackluster performance in her next four trials which were all below 15 meters.
The runner-up secured her place in the third jump, and posted two foul attempts in her last two trials. The bronze medalist failed in her last four jumps after she cleared the 15.23 meters in her second trials.
Cameroon Francoise Mbango Etone competes during the women's triple jump final at the National stadium as part of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 17, 2008. Francoise Mbango of Cameroon defended her triple jump gold medal at the Olympics on Sunday.
Labels: Cameroon Women
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 11:45 AM,
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The first lady
Thursday, September 30, 2010
There’s something wonderfully iconoclastic in Biya’s gigantic, expressive mane. The 39-year-old first lady of Cameroon has popularized her “banane” and other flamboyant styles, pairing them with bold clothes (she favors designers like Hermès and Christian Dior) to come up with a complete look that is known in Cameroon as—what else?—“the Chantal Biya.” That said, it’s unlikely the bananes and Biyas will look as fantastic on anyone but Chantal Biya. [Via]
Labels: Cameroon Women
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 8:14 AM,
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Your Madness Not Mine: Stories of Cameroon (Ohio RIS Africa Series)
Monday, August 23, 2010
Women's writing in Cameroon has so far been dominated by Francophone writers. The short stories in this collection represent the yearnings and vision of an Anglophone woman, who writes both as a Cameroonian and as a woman whose life has been shaped by the minority status her people occupy within the nation state.
The stories in Your Madness, Not Mine are about post colonial Cameroon, but especially about Cameroonian women, who probe their day to day experiences of survival and empowerment as they deal with gender oppression from patriarchal expectations to the malaise of maldevelopment, unemployment, and the attraction of the West for young Cameroonians.
The stories in Your Madness, Not Mine are about post colonial Cameroon, but especially about Cameroonian women, who probe their day to day experiences of survival and empowerment as they deal with gender oppression from patriarchal expectations to the malaise of maldevelopment, unemployment, and the attraction of the West for young Cameroonians.
Labels: Books, Cameroon Women
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 1:37 PM,
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Decade of African Women
Thursday, August 5, 2010
The Minister of Women Empowerment launched the event while celebrating the 48th Edition of the African Women's Day in Yaounde.
In a "standing ovation", women in Cameroon have saluted the decision by Heads of State during the African Union meeting to declare 2010-2020 the African Decade of Women with focus on gender equality as key to development programmes. The gesture was made in Yaounde on Saturday, 31 July, as women gathered to commemorate activities marking the 48th Edition of the African Women's Day. The Minister of Women Empowerment and the Family, Mrs Marie Thérése Abena Ondoa nee Obama said, the fact that African Union has adopted the African Women's Decade (2010-2020), under the theme "Gender Equality and Empowerment of the Women: An Ascending Consultative Approach from the Bottom up to the Hierarchy", is an opportunity for African leaders to officially recognise the strategic place of women in the society and the multidimensional role they play in developing the African continent.
The Minister said the Decade of African Women is a period for women in Africa to celebrate achievement and mobilise for the future. Experts reiterated that the African Union's declaration will mean little if governments fail to ratify and implement the Protocol on the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women. The Minister of Women Empowerment and the Family noted that the government has put in place strategies to integrate women in all sectors of development, increase their access to education, health and employment while putting in place elements that safeguard their rights. But there are still obstacles to achieve equality between men and women, discrimination against women and the non-respect of the 30 per cent quota of women in decision-making positions.
Celebrating the 48th Edition of the African Women Day under the theme: "the situation of the African Woman 50 Years after Independence: Challenges and Stakes". Marie Thérese Abena Ondoa said it is time to look back and see what has been done and draw lessons from what went wrong, to correct and what was supposed to be done, to do better. Central to the decade of the African women is that women in Cameroon will tell their stories themselves. They will sit and see what is best to be done to improve on their condition which is not just to fight for their rights but also see what they themselves can do to improve their conditions and problems which do not come only from men but women themselves. The African women's Day event grouped several members of government and women who are refugees from Rwanda and Congo. Traditional fashion parade, cultural display and exhibition stands on the know-how of women graced the event.
Labels: Cameroon Women
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 1:45 PM,
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Teenage girls undergo 'breast ironing' in Cameroon
Saturday, July 24, 2010
From The Huffington Post
Affecting one out of every four girls, the brutal practice of "breast ironing" is on the rise in the African country of Cameroon. The procedure -- which involves the flattening of a young girl's growing breasts with hot stones, coconut shells and other objects -- is considered a way to curb the country's staggering number of teenage pregnancies, particularly high in rural areas, as well as limit the risk of sexual assault.
According to a new report by CurrentTV, Cameroonian mothers believe breast ironing will protect their daughters from becoming pregnant and being assaulted in that it will postpone their development and men will not be enticed by their breasts. With dietary habits in the country improving, girls are beginning to hit puberty as young as 9, and are subject to the practice around at the same age.
Though only limited medical research has been done on the practice, Cameroonian women say breast ironing can lead to numerous physical issues, such as burns and deformations, not to mention psychological problems. Not surprisingly, it's already been compared to the custom of female circumcision/genital mutilation.
Labels: Cameroon, Cameroon Women, Women
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 1:41 PM,
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