Cameroon’s Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family – MINPROFF has officially launched commemorative activities for the 15th edition of the International Day of the Girl Child in Yaounde.
Presided over by the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Mrs. Abena Ondoa née Obama Marie Thérèse, alongside the Minister of Youth and Civic Education, Mounouna Foutsou, the launch brought together international development partners and youth advocate groups at the Conviviality hall of the National Museum.
Operating under the theme “Ending Child Marriage, Investing in Girls’ Rights,” the event highlighted a unified commitment to eliminating early marriage and protecting youth rights across the nation.
The launch event featured key participation from high-level international delegations, including Resident Representatives from UN Women and UNICEF, alongside delegates from UNESCO and Plan International.
Activities during the program centered around youth engagement and concrete advocacy tools, featuring interactive case studies that detailed the definitions, root causes, and severe consequences of early and forced marriage. Creative performances by youth initiatives including a slam poetry presentation by elsymphonieon from the Ma Cota program and a musical session by the Girls Movement complemented technical project launches, such as UNESCO’s new Digital Parenting Guide and a comprehensive progress report on the “Girls’ Agenda.”
During the ceremony, UNICEF Resident Representative Mrs. Nadine Perrault delivered a urgent call to action, drawing attention to stark demographic statistics regarding child protection in the country. She highlighted that 29.8% of women aged 20–24 in Cameroon were married before reaching age 18, noting particularly elevated rates in the Far North, North, Adamawa, East, and Garoua regions.
Perrault emphasized that effectively combating child marriage requires addressing deep-seated systemic issues, including persistent poverty, discriminatory social norms, high school dropout rates, and a lack of economic opportunities for young women.
In her keynote address, Minister Abena Ondoa reaffirmed the government’s legal stance, reiterating Cameroon’s commitment to prosecuting child marriage as a direct form of violence and abuse against minors. Addressing young girls directly, she stressed that their place is in schools, university amphi-theatres, and technical training centers rather than early marriages. She encouraged girls to speak out against abuse and actively utilize reporting mechanisms, such as the dedicated 116 helpline and the “I protect the child everywhere, do the same” campaign.
The official launch sets the stage for nationwide activities aimed at strengthening collaboration among government ministries, UN agencies, and civil society organizations. Through enhanced legislative enforcement, targeted social investments, and community-level awareness campaigns, MINPROF and its partners intend to lower child marriage rates and ensure that Cameroonian girls can fully access their education and fundamental human rights.
