The initiative is designed to strenghten family units and better respond to contemporary challenges facing Cameroonian families.
The Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa, on 17 February chaired the workshop dedicated to the validation of the strategic framework. The workshop brings together representatives from public administrations, technical and financial partners, civil society organisations, and development stakeholders to examine and finalise the policy framework. Among the partners present were UNFPA Cameroon and CRTVweb, underscoring the collaborative approach adopted in shaping this important national instrument.
In her opening address, the Minister emphasised that the family goes far beyond being a mere social institution. According to her, it is fundamentally a setting for life, love, and hope – a space where identities are formed, aspirations nurtured, and life projects conceived. “Taking care of families,” she noted, “means consolidating the very foundations of our society.”
She highlighted that the Cameroonian family, in all its cultural and social diversity, is currently experiencing profound transformations. Economic shifts, rapid urbanisation, social crises, and the growing influence of new technologies are reshaping family dynamics, redefining traditional roles, and altering social expectations.
These changes, while reflecting modern realities, sometimes expose families to increased vulnerability. Economic hardships, geographic separation of family members, and rising social tensions have created new pressures that call for adapted policy responses.
Despite these evolving challenges, the Minister reaffirmed that the family remains an essential pillar of social cohesion and national stability. The validation of the National Family Policy, she stressed, will provide a structured framework to better support families, protect vulnerable members, and promote inclusive development.
The workshop is expected to fine-tune strategic orientations and integrate stakeholder contributions before the policy is officially adopted.
Claudette Chin
