The most comprehensive compilation of information on the status of
women in the world.

Latest items for Cameroon

March 11, 2024, 3:02 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: IRP-LAW-1

"Is selling sex criminalised? Selling sex itself is illegal in Cameroon as is soliciting in a public place. (art 343 penal code) Is buying sex criminalised? Article 343 of the Penal Code can also be used to criminalise the buying of sex. Is organising/managing criminalised? Yes, procuring defined as "causing, aiding or facilitating the prostitution of another" is criminalised. Living on the earnings is also criminalised. (Art 294 of penal code)" (para 1-3).
Feb. 2, 2024, 6:33 a.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: DV-DATA-1

According to 2022 data from the WHO's Global Health Observatory, the proportion of ever-partnered women and girls (aged 15-49) in Cameroon who have been subjected to physical and/or sexual violence by a current or former intimate partner in their lifetime is 39 percent (KMM-CODER COMMENT).
Jan. 24, 2024, 3:24 p.m.
Countries: Afghanistan, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Rep, Chad, Cote D'Ivoire, D R Congo, Eritrea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Togo, Zimbabwe
Variables: MMR-SCALE-2

4
Jan. 24, 2024, 3:19 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: MMR-SCALE-1

438
Jan. 24, 2024, 3:15 p.m.
Countries: Angola, Bahamas, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mozambique, New Zealand, North Korea, Peru, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam
Variables: ERBG-SCALE-1

0
Jan. 24, 2024, 3:06 p.m.
Countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Cote D'Ivoire, Denmark, Estonia, Gambia, Guinea, Iceland, India, Liberia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Togo
Variables: DACH-SCALE-2

2
Jan. 24, 2024, 3:03 p.m.
Countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Rep, Chad, Cote D'Ivoire, D R Congo, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Swaziland, Togo, Zimbabwe
Variables: DACH-SCALE-1

3
Jan. 21, 2024, 11:10 a.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: MMR-DATA-1

According to a 2023 report on global trends in maternal mortality from 2000-2020 published by the WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank Group, and UNDESA/Population Division, in 2020 the maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 live births) in Cameroon was 438 (KMM-CODER COMMENT).
Jan. 20, 2024, 1:37 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: ERBG-DATA-2

According to 2023 World Bank Gender Data collected from the most recent ILO modeled estimates from 2020 onwards, the female laborforce participation rate (as a percentage of the female population ages 15+) in Cameroon is 67.4% (KMM-CODER COMMENT).
Jan. 7, 2024, 3:30 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: DACH-DATA-1

According to the World Bank, as of 2021, life expectancy in Cameroon is 62 years for women and 59 years for men (KMM-CODER COMMENT).
Dec. 28, 2023, 2:18 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: DACH-DATA-1

According to 2019 data from the WHO's Global Health Observatory, average life expectancy in Cameroon is 60.3 years for men and 64.5 years for women (KMM-CODER COMMENT).
Oct. 12, 2023, 3:59 p.m.
Countries: Afghanistan, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cote D'Ivoire, Guinea, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia
Variables: BR-SCALE-1

3
Sept. 29, 2023, 9:40 a.m.
Countries: Cameroon, Zambia
Variables: BR-DATA-1

"33.8 births per 1000 population"
Sept. 8, 2023, 10:18 a.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: AOM-DATA-2

"Women who were first married by age 18 (% of women ages 20-24) is '29.80%'"
June 17, 2023, 5:11 p.m.
Countries: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Cameroon, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kosovo, Latvia, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad/Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Variables: MARR-SCALE-2

2.0
March 27, 2023, 9:54 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: MARR-LAW-7

"Section 18 of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights by the Republic of Cameroon: [...] the law envisages 3 types of marriages [...] Traditional/Customary, Church/Islamic, and Contract marriages" (para 1).
March 27, 2023, 9:45 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-8

Traditionally practiced by the Fulani and in Beti Customs, but these constitute a small portion of the overall prevalence even within the minority populations. Most ethnic groups condone the practice as it is seen as an outdated practice. (VC CODER COMMENT) "Alerted to the fact that they share close family ties, two lovebirds are determined to carry out their marriage project to the end in the district of Nkol-Afamba and despite the firm opposition of their group leader. It is a project of union visibly source of division which is profiled in the district of NKol-Afamba, region of the Center. The misfortune of the two lovers is that they are...more
March 27, 2023, 4:08 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: ATDW-PRACTICE-1

"Legislation does not limits women's inheritance rights but customary practices do, which by all standards contravenes national and international laws and human rights. Though customary law practices are contrary to the law, it is gaining grounds. In Achu v Achu, Ingish J posited that 'customary law does not countenance the sharing of landed property between the husband and wife on divorce'. This is because the wife is still regarded as the husband's property. In principle, upon breakdown of a marriage or death, the woman is considered as an object of inheritance. This practice is prevalent in Cameroon and it is perceived as a measure to control and maintain family property...more
March 27, 2023, 4:08 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: IAW-PRACTICE-1, IAW-LAW-1

"Legislation does not limits women's inheritance rights but customary practices do, which by all standards contravenes national and international laws and human rights. Though customary law practices are contrary to the law, it is gaining grounds. In Achu v Achu, Ingish J posited that 'customary law does not countenance the sharing of landed property between the husband and wife on divorce'. This is because the wife is still regarded as the husband's property. In principle, upon breakdown of a marriage or death, the woman is considered as an object of inheritance. This practice is prevalent in Cameroon and it is perceived as a measure to control and maintain family property...more
March 27, 2023, 4:08 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1, ATFPA-PRACTICE-2

"In order to strengthen families within marriage, men are considered the head of the family. In this role, he makes decisions concerning all aspects of family and marriage life as well as the control of family property (Patriarchal family). However, legislative enactments have achieved equality between spouses in relation to decision-making, bringing-up children, divorce, inheritance, financial and matrimonial matters giving husband and wife equal powers of disposition and management of matrimonial property. In spite of the position of the law, the man in our African society remains the head and assumes his responsibility as the head of the family with some reservations" (3).
March 27, 2023, 4:08 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: LO-LAW-1

"The position of customary law has changed tremendously with the passing of legislative enactments at local and international levels. At the international level, Section 1 of the Married Women Property Act of 1882 accords married women the right to separate ownership of property before and even during marriage. In fact, the Act sees her as a single with right to own property and dispose of it without intervention from any trustee. Lord Denning, on his part sees husband and wife as two separate persons, equal partners in a joint enterprise, enterprise of maintaining a home and bringing up children. He further stated that they live independently and go their own...more
March 27, 2023, 3:49 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1, LO-LAW-1

"The customary law of Cameroon grants them access to land, but no rights to own the property. Moreover, the 1974 ordinance which establishes that registration is the only proof of ownership further complicates the situation for rural communities. But, land remains an integral part in the socio-political development of communities, and it is fundamental that women are integrated in policies with regards to land ownership since they carry out most activities on land. The country’s 1996 constitution recognizes equal rights for land ownership irrespective of sex. In reality, women in the Northwest of Cameroon are subject to a typical patriarchal system, which gives them little or no access to land....more
March 27, 2023, 3:38 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"The constitution provides women and men the same legal status and rights. The government, however, often did not enforce the law. In practice, women did not enjoy the same rights and privileges as men. Although local government officials claimed women had access to land in their constituencies, the overall sociocultural practice of denying women the right to own land, especially through inheritance, was prevalent in most regions. The government did not implement any official discriminatory policy against women in such areas as divorce, child custody, employment, credit, pay, owning or managing business or property, education, the judicial process, or housing" (44-45).
March 27, 2023, 3:38 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: IAW-PRACTICE-1

"Widows were sometimes forcibly married to one of their deceased husband’s relatives to secure continued use of property left by the deceased husband, including the marital home" (43). "The constitution provides women and men the same legal status and rights. The government, however, often did not enforce the law. In practice, women did not enjoy the same rights and privileges as men. Although local government officials claimed women had access to land in their constituencies, the overall sociocultural practice of denying women the right to own land, especially through inheritance, was prevalent in most regions. The government did not implement any official discriminatory policy against women in such areas as...more
March 27, 2023, 3:38 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: LO-LAW-1, IAD-PRACTICE-1

"The constitution provides women and men the same legal status and rights. The government, however, often did not enforce the law. In practice, women did not enjoy the same rights and privileges as men. Although local government officials claimed women had access to land in their constituencies, the overall sociocultural practice of denying women the right to own land, especially through inheritance, was prevalent in most regions. The government did not implement any official discriminatory policy against women in such areas as divorce, child custody, employment, credit, pay, owning or managing business or property, education, the judicial process, or housing" (44-45).
March 27, 2023, 3:26 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: ATDW-LAW-1

"With regard to division of property, in the event of the divorce, the marital assets are divided in accordance with the ownership regime chosen at time of marriage (separate and co-owned property regime) (Ordinance 81-02). For the latter, the property should be equally shared after a divorce" (3).
March 27, 2023, 3:26 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: IAW-LAW-1, IAD-LAW-1

"The Civil Code provides women with equal rights to inheritance as men. This extends to daughters as well as female surviving spouses (Ordinance 81-02, Art. 735; Art. 731- 732, 1981). Reinforcing equality in inheritance laws, a Supreme Court decision formally recognised the right of women to inherit in 1993 (No. 14 / L, 1993). At the time of writing, however, there are no laws prohibiting disinheritance or property grabbing, and there is lack of legal protections for widows" (3).
March 27, 2023, 3:26 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: LO-LAW-1

"The Civil Code designates the husband as the head of household, who has the final decision on the family’s domicile, contradicting the woman’s constitutional rights to freedom of movement and residence within the border (Ordinance 81-02, Art. 212-214, 1981; Constitution, 1996)" (2). "In principle, the state’s Constitution affords each citizen the right to own property individually or jointly with other (Art. 17, 1992). Moreover, the law states that no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of their property (Ibid). However, these rights are hindered by other discriminatory laws, both in civil and customary legal regimes that do not allow married women to own or manage land and assets. Namely, under civil...more
March 25, 2023, 5:40 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: ATDW-LAW-1

According to the "Women, Business, and the Law" database (2022), the law provides for the valuation of nonmonetary contributions. The WBL database cites the following as the source: Code Civil, Arts. 1400 et 1401.
March 25, 2023, 5:40 p.m.
Countries: Cameroon
Variables: IAD-LAW-1

According to the "Women, Business, and the Law" database (2022), sons and daughters have equal rights to inherit assets from their parents. The WBL database cites the following as the source: Code Civil, Arts. 723, 731 et 745.