Celebrated globally on 8 March, women across Cameroon are mobilizing with determination, dialogue, and dynamic action to affirm their rights.
This year’s global theme: Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women and Girls, with the accompanying campaign message “Give To Gain,” demonstrates a universal call to remove barriers to gender equality and to ensure justice, opportunity, and empowerment for every woman and girl on the planet.
Across the country, women’s groups, public institutions, and civil society are organizing a rich tapestry of events, from roundtable conferences and awareness sessions to fitness activities and health screenings.
At the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS), women employees have been actively engaged in discussions that cut to the heart of the IWD theme. In a conference chaired by the NBTS’s General Manager, Professor Dora Mbanya, participants were edified on key ways women can seek justice in everyday life — from understanding their legal rights to navigating pathways that make laws meaningful in practice.
The candid dialogue explored critical questions about why justice still often fails to protect women despite strong legislation. The session ignited debate, empowered women to know their rights, and challenged every participant to become an advocate for equity and reform.
In addition to intellectual forums, Cameroon’s women and their allies are participating in activities that promote wellness and solidarity. Fitness walks, community awareness campaigns, and free medical screenings for common pathologies are being organized to ensure women’s health remains a priority. These events embody the “Give To Gain” spirit — giving time, care, and knowledge to uplift every woman’s potential.
Across regions, local associations, professional networks, and grassroots women’s groups are hosting their own dialogues, workshops, and cultural events, from intergenerational mentorship circles to discussions about economic participation and digital inclusion.
All of these activities are building toward a grand parade on 8 March 2026, where women and men alike will celebrate not just the achievements of women in Cameroon but also reaffirm the collective commitment to justice, equality, and opportunity.
The parade will symbolize the strides women have made and the road ahead, one where rights are upheld, justice serves every woman, and action ensures that no one is left behind.
As Cameroon’s women prepare to take to the stage literally and figuratively this International Women’s Day will be a reminder that rights without action remain incomplete, and that when women are informed, supported, and united, they truly gain and so does society at large.
Claudette Chin
