Welcome to ⤵️⤵️
Panel3 on Exchanges between Members of Government in the Health and Social Services Sectors
🔵 Commemorating and celebrating youth
The 59th Youth Day is an opportunity not only to commemorate and celebrate Cameroon's young people and their achievements, but also to re-mobilise them, bring them together and encourage their commitment to the values of patriotism, merit, respect for the symbols and emblems of the Republic, peace, health, solidarity, integrity, hard work, pride, the will to live and succeed together, social cohesion and the development of Cameroon.
"A warm welcome and a great time in this convivial room".
These were the words of welcome from Fadimatou Iyawa Ousmanou, President of the National Executive Bureau of the National Youth Council. She thanked the Heads of State and the authorities who have enabled this platform to be set up to promote intergenerational dialogue. She also welcomed the presence of the members of the Government present.
She went on to say that the meeting was a response to the opinions expressed by young people during consultations held as part of the review of the national youth policy: "The aim here is to give young people the right information, so that everything can be done for us, with us in mind", she said.
Members of the Government present
Alongside the Minister for Youth and Civic Education, Mounouna Foutsou, is Professor Marie Thérèse Abena Ondoa, Minister for the Promotion of Women and the Family.
Representatives of the Ministries of Health, Tourism and Leisure, as well as the Minister of Communication, were also present.
🔵 Frank exchanges
At the very high behest of the Head of State, a dialogue has been set up between the
and the Government on the occasion of the Fête de la Jeunesse. These are frank exchanges between young people from the 10 regions and the diaspora, and the Members of the Government.
Government on current issues of direct relevance to young people. For this 5th edition, the exchanges are subdivided into sectors. For today, it's the health and social services sectors.
🔵 Questions
Inclusive education on the MINAS agenda. We would like to know what mechanisms exist to reduce the cost of living for young people.
To Minproff
Violence against women is the subject of debate. The question of the resurgence of feminicide arises here
Finally, for MINJEC. The participation of young people is being questioned. Are the CRJs, CMJs and other bodies sufficient?
🔵 MINTOUL
Josué Palaï , Technical Adviser to MINTOUL, speaking on behalf of the Minister of State, Minister for Tourism and Leisure, Bello Bouba Maïgari.
As part of its mission, MINTOUL is working to develop tourism and leisure activities by increasing the construction of leisure infrastructures and developing tourist sites: "The tourism sector is one that employs many men and women," he says. And for this to happen, good training is essential. The government has set up training centres specialising in tourism. The training starts with the vocational aptitude certificate, to give young people from the lowest level of schooling a better chance. The cost of the training is also affordable, with the aim of ensuring that young people leaving the centre are able to find a job and are also self-employed. One of the objectives is also to sell Cameroon as a tourist destination to tourists, as this will bring in foreign currency to the country. The organisation of holiday camps is part of this very idea, as it also aims to promote cultural mixing and living together among the young people taking part in these camps. "MINTOUL also funds many associations working to promote tourism", he points out.
"The gender approach also concerns young people, it's not just a question of old people".
This is the answer given by Professor Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa, Minister for the Promotion of Women and the Family, reassuring young people. "We need to give boys and girls the same opportunities and the same chances within the family", she said. She then called on parents to take responsibility for the management and education of young people. Talking about the problems that arise in families, she announced that her ministerial department was setting up support for couples and would-be spouses to train them in family life. These courses take place in the Centres for the Promotion of Women and the Family. There are 122 of these throughout the country. Here, training courses are organised for young women as well as for young men, and at the end of the course they are awarded a certificate that can be used as proof in the search for employment, as well as for self-employment. "We already have a gender-sensitive budget", says Prof. Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa, who points out that this budget allows both men and women to be supported. "So we can't talk about a young people's approach, because the gender approach includes young people", she concludes.
At MINAS, the focus is on vulnerable young people".
These are the words of Georges Edmond Makita, Director of Solidarity Development at the Ministry of Social Affairs. These young people are:
Young people living with disabilities, young people from indigenous communities, young people from internally displaced persons and destitute young people.
For these young
School placements are set up for young people living with a disability to enable them to benefit from education, while being exempt from the fees payable at primary, secondary and even university schools. All you have to do is contact MINAS.
As far as socio-economic integration is concerned, he points out that there is a support programme to help young people integrate into the labour market, based on a project put together by the young person for self-employment. We also have an age exemption for young people aspiring to a job in the public sector", he says.
The other part of MINAS's intervention also concerns populations from indigenous communities such as the Pygmies and Bororo. The Indigenous Peoples Development Plan implemented by MINAS places the emphasis on access to education. Indigent young people (street children, etc.) are also concerned by the project to re-socialise them.
"Feminicides are atrocious deaths suffered by women simply because they are female, and we condemn this violence".
This is according to Marie Thérèse Abena Ondoa, Minproff. We note that: "In 2024, 74 cases were declared and on 5 February 2025 there were 10 cases". As far as taking care of the offspring of couples is concerned, she points out that the Ministry offers paid holiday courses so that these young children can have enough to go to school. She also points out that centres and orphanages are also being encouraged to take in these youngsters. "We have to speak out so that the number of cases stops increasing", she concludes.
"These youth participation structures have their place, they help prepare you to take over".
This is the assurance given by Mounouna Foutsou, Minister for Youth and Civic Education, on the relevance of participatory structures such as municipal youth councils, youth parliaments, etc.
He points out that the CNJC has existed since 2009, the Youth Parliament since 2017 and the Youth Senate since 2024. Municipal youth councils and regional youth councils are involved in supporting decentralisation.
"These are structures for intergenerational preparation and transition. The aim is to prepare young people to take over at all levels," he says.
He went on to say that these structures have already produced some great politicians, citing the example of the Mayor of Garoua and Limbé, both of whom came through these structures to prepare them for public office: "Don't hesitate to get involved. As soon as the calls for candidates are open, go for it", concludes Minister Mounouna Foutsou.
MINAS and MINTOUL represented
The following ministerial departments took part in these exchanges
📌Georges Edmond MAKITA, Director of National Solidarity and Social Development at MINAS, and
📌 Josue Kazi Palaii, Technical Advisor to MINTOUL
The youth approach... What does it mean?
"This young people's approach means that young people should be represented in all administrative and other structures",
Replies Fadimatou Iyawa Ousmanou, President of the CNJC. She explained that this plea was the result of consultations as part of the review of the national youth policy.
"The youth approach has always been present, and the list of winners for young people shows it".
These were the words of the Minister for Youth and Civic Education before concluding the discussion session. In conclusion, he asked the young people to go to the various structures to find out more about what is being done for them and for their benefit: "There are second chance structures for you, nothing is lost", he told them.
English 
Français