On the occasion of the 41st edition of International Women’s Day, entrepreneur, human rights advocate, and politician Bah Akwen Nadieh has dished out a passionate reflection on the enduring challenges women face in Cameroon and beyond.
Speaking on Sunday, March 6, 2026, Bah Akwen Nadieh used the global commemoration to highlight what she describes as a persistent cycle of injustice, economic dependency, and violence against women.
More than a century after women began organizing globally against discrimination, Bah Akwen said the progress achieved has not fully dismantled the structural barriers that continue to marginalize women. “We thought the struggle that began generations ago would have liberated women from injustice and inequality,” she said. “Yet here we are, still confronting the same forces, only now they appear in more refined forms.”
A Struggle That Persists
Bah Akwen Nadieh pointed to the rise in reports of gender-based violence, including femicide and mental health struggles, as evidence that women’s rights remain under threat in the 21st century. According to her, these realities raise difficult questions about the social and economic conditions that keep women vulnerable.
“Women continue to suffer violence and depression in silence,” she said. “Justice can be biased, equality is often questioned, and the rights of women are too easily trampled upon.”
She argued that many toxic relationships persist because women lack the financial independence needed to leave unsafe environments. Economic dependency, she said, traps countless women in situations that threaten their safety and well-being. “Financial freedom is not a luxury,” Nadieh emphasized. “It is the foundation of dignity, security, and the ability to make choices.”
Economic Independence at the Center
As National Youth President of the Union des Populations du Cameroun (UPC), Nadieh framed economic empowerment as a central pillar in the fight for gender equality. She believes that improving women’s access to financial resources, entrepreneurship opportunities, and leadership positions is critical to reducing gender-based violence and social inequality.
In her remarks, the political activist also addressed the growing number of single mothers who carry the financial and emotional burden of raising families alone. She criticized social patterns in which fathers abandon responsibility for their children while women shoulder the consequences. “Women are increasingly the breadwinners of their families,” she said. “Yet they are still denied leadership roles and excluded from key decision-making spaces.”
A National Question
For Nadieh, the broader issue is not only about women’s rights but also about national development. She posed a direct question to policymakers and society at large. Can Cameroon build a stronger future without fully including women and girls in leadership, justice, and economic life? Her answer was clear sustainable progress requires the active participation of women in every sector.
A Call to Action
As Cameroon joined the international community in marking International Women’s Day, Nadieh urged government institutions, civil society, and communities to prioritize policies that support women’s economic empowerment.
She ended her message with a rallying call for “Financial freedom for every woman and girl child.”
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