Auteur/autrice : TimesNews2

La firme chinoise dans son rapport annuel de 2021 souligne un bilan positif avec en prime de nombreux chantiers à poursuivre dans les jours à venir. Dans son rapport annuel de 2021, l’entreprise Huawei, géant des technologies de l’information et de la communication a indiqué les recettes réalisées durant l’année écoulée. Huawei affirme dans ce rapport qu’elle a fait des recettes à hauteur de 636,8 Milliards CNY et 113,7 Milliards CNY de bénéfices nets, soit une augmentation de 75,9 %. Ledit rapport souligne les dépenses de la firme chinoise en matière de recherche et de développement, qui ont atteint 142,7 Milliards CNY en 2021 soit une représentation de 22,4% de son chiffre d’affaires total. Et tel que l’indique davantage le rapport, les dépenses en terme de recherche et développement durant les dix dernières années sont chiffres a plus de 845 Milliards CNY. D’où l’accent mis sur les secteurs de recherche et développement afin de continuellement booster ses investissements dans ce domaine qui est porteur et est l’un de ses maillons fort. Lors d’une conférence de presse récemment organisée par le géant des télécommunications, Huawei, il en ressort que l’entreprise a connu une croissance régulière et de nouvelles pistes de développement vont être explorer. Guo Ping, Président rotatif de Huawei a indiqué ceci : « Dans l’ensemble, nos résultats ont été conformes aux prévisions. L’activité de nos operateurs est restée stable, notre activité d’entreprise a connu une croissance régulière et notre activité grand public s’est rapidement développé dans de nouveaux domaines. Nous nous sommes également lances dans le développement rapide de l’écosystème. » Et selon les dires de Meng Wanzhou, Directrice financière de Huawei, présente à la conférence de presse, le bilan est positif et l’entreprise se projette dans un accroissement. En 2021, grâce à la rentabilité accrue de ses principales activités, le flux de trésorerie provenant des activités d’exploitation de l’entreprise a légèrement augmente et ce qui s’élève selon ledit rapport à 59,7 Milliards CNY. Et faut-il le dire, durant l’exercice 2021, Huawei a généré un chiffre d’affaires de 281,5 Milliards CNY et a aidé les opérateurs à travers le monde entier à déployer des réseaux de pointe 5G. Au-delà de son rapport annuel chiffré, l’entreprise Huawei marque positivement les pans socio-éducatifs et fait partie des structures continentales qui s’illustre dans les relations publiques, et avec comme centre d’intérêt le bien être de  sa clientèle. TimesNews2

C’est l’un des points majeurs qui ressort du rapport d’audit commis récemment par la Christoffel-Blindenmission(CBM) et présenté durant un atelier de dissémination qui s’est tenu le 30 Mars 2022 à Yaoundé, capitale du Cameroun. Les organismes nationaux et internationaux en charges des questions d’handicaps, les associations de défenses des droits des personnes vivants avec handicaps(PVH), les agents communautaires ainsi que d’autres acteurs de terrain ont pris part à cet atelierde dissémination du rapport d’audit sur l’inclusion du handicap dans les régions du Nord-Ouest et du Sud-Ouest Cameroun. Une session éducative et interactive avec de nombreux partages d’expériences des acteurs du terrain et des témoignages des associations qui ont contribué activement dans ce travail. La crise sécuritaire qui sévit dans les régions du Nord-Ouest et du Sud-Ouest Cameroun depuis 2016, selon le rapport d’audit, a impacté les PVH. Dans la région du Nord-Ouest par exemple, l’accès a la qualité des soins de santé est de 14%, l’accès à l’alimentation est limité à 14%, les violences basées sur le genre(VBG) sont chiffrées à 12%, l’impact psychologique est de 17%, l’impact physique est de 19% et le taux d’abus est chiffré à 17%.  Des statistiques pas du tout reluisantes au vu du nombre croissant de PVH qui sont des laissées pour compte. D’après la présentation faite par le consultant indépendant qui a commis le rapport d’audit, les personnes vivants avec handicaps sont exclues des réponses humanitaires. Julius Wango, indique que ceci est dû aux différentes barrières qui ont été identifiées sur le terrain lors de l’enquête. « Dans le cadre de la crise qui affecte les regions du Nord-Ouest et Sud-Ouest, les personnes vivants avec handicaps sont exclues des réponses humanitaires à cause de plusieurs barrières. Ces barrières sont : le manque des données désagrégées qui peuvent faciliter la planification des organisations et même le suivi des actions des personnes ; les barrières environnementales, qui ne permettent pas aux PVH de se mouvoir. Elles ne peuvent pas faire de longues distances afin de recevoir l’assistance car certains sites de distribution sont très éloignés et même inaccessible pour des handicapés moteurs. Et il ya également des barrières liées aux attitudes des personnes qui les excluent dans plusieurs activités.  Certaines organisations également les mettent en retrait et ce qui est un frein au développement… » Julius Wango a souligné le fait que cette étude sur le terrain a rencontré quelques embuches. Il indique que certains organismes internationaux n’ont pas été coopératifs lors des échanges et sans toutefois compter les journées de fermetures des villes appelées « Ghost town » dans ces parties du pays, ce qui n’a pas été du tout facile au vu du deadline de production du rapport. Il a fallu faire un travail en ligne et via appels à un moment donné tel qu’il l’a expliqué. Selon Fon Julius, Directeur pays de CBM Cameroun, il était important de commettre ce rapport d’audit qui est une traçabilité des besoins des PVH qui sont des déplacés interne et qui vivent dans des communautés hôtes. Ce rapport d’audit qui est également une sorte de feuille de route pour ce projet de 36 mois et qui est dénommé : « Disability Inclusive Humanitarian Action in Health and Protection sectors for IDPs and Host communities in the North-West and South-West regions, Cameroon », est aussi un outil de plaidoyer. Il dit : « Les questions d’handicaps sont des sujets qui sont prédominants dans les communautés pauvres et dans les pays en voie de développement. Il ya beaucoup d’efforts qui sont fait, et ceci fait partie de l’un des domaines d’intérêt de CBM, qui y travaille depuis de nombreuses années dans le but de promouvoir le développement de l’inclusion des handicaps au Cameroun. Et dans le cadre des différentes crises qui affectent le Cameroun, nous avons été amené a développé un programme qui adresse les réponses humanitaires en terme de visibilité inclusive des personnes vivants avec handicaps dans les régions du Nord-Ouest et Sud-Ouest du pays. Dans le cadre de ce travail il été question de comprendre comment les organisations humanitaires perçoivent l’inclusion des personnes vivants avec handicaps dans leurs activités. Ce rapport d’audit était une sorte d’enquête fondée sur des preuves afin de permettre un changement de comportement et faire appel aux organisations qui doivent davantage s’investir sur le sujet… » Avec ses différents partenaires de mis en œuvre sur le terrain, la CBM a dévoilé durant l’atelier tous les contours de ce projet qui va s’étendre durant trois ans dans les regions ciblées. Awa Jacques Chirac, Responsable des programmes pour l’autonomisation socio-économique des PVH au sein de la cameroon baptist church a salué la venue de ce projet rénovateur. Selon Awa Jacques Chirac, le projet est venu redonner espoir a beaucoup de PVH qui se sont investis dans des activités génératrices de revenus mais du fait de la crise dans ces regions ont vu leurs activités partir en péril. A titre d’information, la Christoffel-Blindenmission (mission chrétienne pour les aveugles ; en anglais, Christian Blind Mission ou CBM) est une organisation d’aide au développement fondée en 1908 par Ernst Jakob Christoffel (1876–1955). Elle s’est donnée pour objectif d’améliorer, sur la base de valeurs chrétiennes, les conditions de vies des aveugles et des sourds ainsi que des personnes handicapées physiques ou mentales. Elle agit également dans une optique de prévention d’où ses multiples activités en faveur des PVH essentiellement à travers le monde entier. Rédaction Timesnews2.info

Regional Pedagogic inspectors in charge of orientation and school life have been gathered in Yaounde, Cameroon for a three-day technical workshop. Close to 20 participants from the Center region were gathered in Yaounde, Cameroon as part of a three-day workshop that kicked-off on March 28, 2022. The training workshop that took place from the 28th to the 30th March 2022 enters within the framework of the project dubbed AVENIR, an initiative of Plan international Cameroon. Speaking on behalf of Plan International Cameroon, Project Coordinator, Diane Sidoine Kamgain stated out the raison d’être of the workshop which is a continuous move of the numerous projects undertaken by the international organization. “Plan International is an organization that promotes equal rights of children and young girls in particular. We have launched this workshop in order to upgrade the skills of regional pedagogic inspectors as there will be in the days ahead, impactful school projects that will be submitted to them. And to better appreciate such projects, they have to acquire necessary tools and tips on scrutinizing and evaluation of projects. This initiative of Plan International that aims at changing mentalities in the school milieu also acts as an advocacy move, as we work closely with decentralized services of the state for concrete results…” As underscored by Gisele Bekolo, Regional Pedagogic inspector in charge of social life in the Center, the school project is an initiative that emanates from the vision of heads of schools. She added the fact that, each principal has the ability to think on the vision that he or she wishes to reflect on his school within a given period. “One of the main problems we have on the field is that, Heads of schools are faced with the issue of conceiving a project for their schools and this workshop is an opportunity that will help to build and upgrade the skills of the various targets…” Gisele Bekolo said. Whuseni Patouse, regional pedagogic inspector in charge of school life in the Center, participant at the workshop acknowledged the fact that the gathering was added value to their professional activities. He said: “This training is going to help us to do the follow up. When we validate a school project within the academic year because school projects are been elaborated with the interval of three to five years, so when we validate the upcoming academic year we have to do what we call the evaluations. And at the end of this seminar, we will be really empowered…” Financed by the French Development Agency, AFD, the project known as AVENIR, coordinated by Plan International Cameroon, lays emphasis on quality inclusive education for a sustainable socio-economic empowerment of children and vulnerable young people notably girls and young women. Elise Kenimbeni

A one-day regional workshop to sensitize and advocate for the increase of budget allowances in the education sector has been launched on March 18, 2022 in Yaounde. Yaounde, Cameroon’s nation capital hosted on Friday 18th March 2022, a one-day regional workshop that focused on sensitizing and advocating for an increase in the budget allowances in the education sector. The move carried forward by Plan International Cameroon had as target participants local elected officials from the center region of the country. The close to 20 participants selected from councils were drilled on inclusive budgeting and on why they need to include in their various local budgets the education of the girlchild and vulnerable groups. Plan International Cameroon’s Avenir Project Manager, Mrs. Ongtokono Paule, in her speech unveiled essential issues surrounding the said project and its major stakes and challenges. As underscored by Mrs. Ongtokono Paule, one of the main objectives that seeks Plan International Cameroon through the current strategy, is to facilitate access to inclusive and quality education for girls, vulnerable children, children excluded and those at risk of exclusion in emergency situations. She said with regards to emerging health, humanitarian, socio-economic and security crises affecting Cameroon, the social sectors have witnessed cuts in resources allocated to them amidst the inflating needs of people. Reason why, local councils have to take on the lead in these important sectors notably by favouring an increase in the education sector as she outlined in her key note address. She added that, thanks to government’s efforts and many partners, access, quality and governance of education have witnessed a change, yet there is still much to be undertaken. Paule Ongtokono equallystressed on the fact that, the rate of achievement of school in the primary level is estimated at 70% in general with an estimate of 66.4% for girls. The initiative that comes at a moment several calls and campaigns have been launched nationwide has been praised by civil society organizations like the Cameroon Education for all Network, CEFAN currently leading the same fight in line with the Sustainable Development Goal number 4, laying emphasis on achieving inclusive and quality education for all. Regional coordinator of CEFAN in the Center region, Francois Nkeumi said: “This gathering helps us to meet face to face various stakeholders who are involved in our advocacy move aimed at increasing the budget allowances of the education sector and it also paves the way for us to highlight the importance of improving the education of the girlchild, people and children living with disabilities in the Center region. If this type of encounter is spread all over the country, it will impact greatly on this advocacy launched by Plan International Cameroon and partners like CEFAN…” Speaking on behalf of the Governor of the center region, Andre Eyebe Eyebe, Head of the police and administrative organization’s division at the governor’s services has outlined the fact that Cameroon is faced with the challenge of ensuring quality education to all boys and girls by 2030 in abid to achieve its sustainable development goals’ road map. The government has put in place a series of incentives and education policies in order to adhere to SDG number 4. The holding of such workshops by Plan International Cameroon is timely as he said in his key note address. Mayors, municipal councilors and other local development partners involved in the decentralization process have been called on to act as main facilitators in the field for the effective and concrete actions in terms of education of the pupils. Andre Eyebe Eyebe equally praised the efforts made so far by of all organizations engaged in the protection of children in Cameroon and requested for a massive support of government’s actions. Elise Kenimbeni

As part of strategies to tackle rising cases of sexual abuse and violence of children, CAMCRIN and Plan International Cameroon embark on the implementation of judiciary clinics nationwide. It was disclosed on Friday 11th March 2022 in Yaounde, during a one-day advocacy workshop initiated by local based civil society organization network known as Cameroon Child Rights, CAMCRIN and Plan International Cameroon under the patronage of the ministry of women’s empowerment and the family, MINPROFF that judiciary clinics will be put in place with the help of government and key actors. The implementation of judiciary clinics described as cells or centers that will come in support of vulnerable children is one of the major points highlighted during the advocacy workshop that gathered various actors fully concerned with children’s rights. Dr Sayang Collins, interim country Representative of Plan International Cameroon, in his address has acknowledged the fact that with the advent of new forms of information and technologies, several strides have been made in terms of communication, thus paving the way to opened denunciations. He stated that: “Faced with the prevailing changes, some women who have become more aware of issues related to power relations and the influence of dynamics have organized in groups now in urban areas. They now have access to reflection forums, succeeding in taking part in debates, development issues and even part of decision making. For some, this has led to the transformation of their social, legal, economic and political status but for others, for whom the majority live in rural areas and particularly in some urban settings, relations and relationships with men are still publicly rooted in the traditional values mentioned above…” Speaking to participants and officials convened for the workshop, the interim country Representative of Plan International Cameroon unveiled critical figures which should be strangled for effective intervention. Dr Sayang Collins pointed-out the crucial need to silence sexual violence and abuse on children notably the girlchild, which persistently exist in many communities due to customs, traditions and beliefs. “Notwithstanding signs of modernity, women’s social and economic responsibilities have not evolved significantly. 39% of women and 42% of men aged between 15 and 49 years reported have experienced physical violence since the age of 15. Regarding sexual violence overall, 13% of women aged 15 to 49 reported have experienced sexual violence by someone at some point in their lives. And 5% has experienced it recently in the last 12 months. More than 4 out of 10 women of the same age group in a union or in a broken union declared that they had at some point experienced violence in the form of emotional, physical or sexual violence… 6% of young women have already entered into first union before reaching their 15.” Dr Sayang said. The acting president of CAMCRIN on his part said despite concerted efforts by government to upgrade the status of the woman and the girlchild in Cameroon, there are still a wide range of gaps observed that should be filled in like under education of girls, access to justice, access to land etc. As he stated in his speech, it is with regret that they have noted the absence of a child protection code, the absence of an adapted justice with specialized jurisdictions for children, the lack of juvenile justice platforms at the central and local levels and besides, the weak policies and national instruments that highlight the rights of children. During his exchanged with media practitioners, the president of CAMCRIN, Leon Bertrand Enama said: “There are a lot of cases of violence and abuse recorded so far and if access to justice is not favourable, this will encourage more authors of such acts. It is therefore important for us to strengthen mechanisms that will help us have more sanctions and when these sanctions will be applicable, we shall find ourselves with abuse cases reduced in our communities. Reason why for this workshop, we targeted a great number of key actors in the judicial chain at the national level, we convened forces of order, social services, lawyers who are highly represented for judicial follow-up and besides, civil society organizations that will heighten sensitization on the ground as well as other actors such as traditional chiefs who have a key role to play in their various communities notably in terms of denunciation…” The advocacy workshop chaired officially by Mrs. Koukreo Maipa Wespa, Inspector number one in the ministry of women’s empowerment and the family was the occasion to spotlight the existing inequalities between girls and boys, women and men as a hindrance to the development of the country. As indicated by the Inspector of MINPROFF, the 37th edition of the international women’s day observed on March 8, granted opportunity to amplify the voices of women and girls in terms of discrimination and empowerment. Participating at the workshop Barrister Kuhsen Nicoline underscored the fact that as lawyers working with CAMCRIN they have been supporting many of their activities. She said: “We want to accompany CAMCRIN at the judicial level, be it at the start with cases of violence on children. We assist them, give them advice, do consultations if need be before the court. We noticed that CAMCRIN has been doing a lot with Plan International to protect the right of the child but as lawyers we can only assist them where they need execution of their rights…” Plan International Cameroon, as a leading organization that strives for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls has carried-out a good number of activities to back-up CAMCRIN and help the government of Cameroon in the implementation of its various national policies such as that on Gender adopted in 2015. Elise Kenimbeni