The Girls’ Vision for the Future Movement was launched in Cameroon’s Southwest Regional capital, Buea, on June 20, 2025. The launch marked a significant step towards promoting girls’ rights and empowerment in the Southwest region.
The initiative, supported by UNICEF Cameroon in partnership with the Ministry of Women Empowerment and the Family and other national partners, aims to amplify the voices of adolescent girls and strengthen their role as change-makers in their communities.
The launch events kicked off on June 19 with a courtesy visit to the Southwest Governor’s office. This was followed by the official launch ceremony the next day at the Women Empowerment and Family Centre in Buea. The launch brought together over 150 adolescent girls and key stakeholders for a day of celebration, dialogue, and advocacy for girls’ rights and leadership.
Speaking at the launch, Fily Diallo, OIC Chief of Field Office in Buea, said the event “is a symbol of hope; hope rooted in our shared determination to give girls in Cameroon the rightful place they deserve in our society.”
She elaborated that the movement seeks to build a Cameroon and a Southwest region where every girl is safe, educated, healthy, and heard, with the opportunity to thrive and contribute meaningfully to society.
She, however, noted that the challenges faced by girls in Cameroon are significant. “We need to face reality head-on,” Diallo emphasised. “In Cameroon, nearly 55% of girls do not complete primary school, and only 33% reach secondary level. One in five girls is married before the age of 18.” The ongoing crisis in the Southwest Region has further deepened these challenges, with many girls losing access to safe education, facing displacement, being forced into early marriages, or having to take on adult responsibilities far too early.
Despite these challenges, investing in adolescent girls can have a significant impact, she noted. “Every dollar invested in girls’ education yields five dollars in return for society,” Diallo said. The movement aims to mobilise commitment, energy, and resources to make Cameroon a beacon for girls’ rights and empowerment.
The Girls’ Movement will culminate in a National Summit in Cameroon and a Regional Summit in Senegal in October 2025, spotlighting country-level achievements and shaping long-term commitments to girls’ rights and empowerment.
Wilson Malala, a young girl and member of the Movement, told reporters that the movement teaches them “how to advocate for your rights, advocate for yourself, and not let anyone look down on you”. To her peers, she called on them to dress appropriately, mind the time they go out, and not let anyone touch them in inappropriate parts of their bodies.
On her part, Lucia Ediage Sona, the Southwest regional Delegate for Women’s Empowerment and the Family, said the Anglophone Crisis has had a devastating impact on girls in the region, with many facing displacement, violence, and other forms of exploitation. She said the situation is “really disheartening and deplorable”, but that with the launch of the Girls’ Movement, there is hope for change. She noted that the movement aims to empower girls to speak out against discrimination and gender-based violence, and to promote their rights and well-being.
The delegate believes that the Girls’ Movement will be instrumental in bringing about change, as girls are more likely to listen to their peers. The movement will feature ambassadors from diverse backgrounds, including different tribes and villages, who will go into communities to talk about discrimination and gender-based violence. The delegate expressed gratitude to UNICEF and the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family for launching the Girls’ Movement, describing it as a timely and crucial initiative.
By Andrew Nsoseka
