Cameroon uses Intl Womens’s Day to announce digital opportunity

Cameroon will make efforts to enhance the skills of and opportunities for Women in the digital business as part of the measures to draw more young girls to the sector, said its telecommunications minister on Thursday.

“The more Women we have in digital business, the better for the emancipation and growth of Women,” said Minister of Post and Telecommunications Minette Libom Li Likeng.

“digital economy is the future for our country and Africa. It plays a very important role in economies in developing countries. We will look for efficient and effective ways to encourage young digital entrepreneurs,” Likeng said while meeting with young female digital entrepreneurs at the National Advanced School of Post and Telecommunications.

The event was part of the activities to mark the International Women's Day on March 8.

International Women's Day is a global event to celebrate and supportWomen's rightswhile calling forgender equality.

In reality, the day is largely ignored in many countries or has lost its significance in others.

It is an official holiday now in only 27 countries, but the majority of them do not see it as a day for fighting for Women's rights.

Over the last 100 years, Women in many countries secured labour rights and protection from violence, access to sexual and reproductive health and rights as well as reach the highest positions of leadership.

However, the original goal of achieving full global gender equality is still a long way off.

Women in many countries are still victims of female genital mutilation (FGM), have no right to pass on theircitizenshipto their children and are paid much less than men.

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF),the gender gapwill take at least 108 years to close, and 202 years for economic gender parity at the current pace of change.

One in three Women is likely to faceviolencein her lifetime, yet public services, urban planning and transport systems are rarely planned with Women's safety and mobility in mind, the UN says.

At least 740 million Women make their living in the informal economy with limited access to social protection, public services and infrastructure that could increase their productivity and income security.

Women do 2.6 times more unpaid care and domestic work than men, with only 41 percent of the world's mothers with newborns receiving maternity benefits, according to the UN.