At the invitation of the Parliamentary Network for Gender Promotion, the U.S. Embassy Yaounde, Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM), Matthew Smith addressed members of Parliament in the National Assembly on U.S. – Cameroon efforts to promote gender equality.

As the only diplomatic mission invited to address the network, DCM Smith said: “One of the key messages delivered by President Obama during his administration has been that no nation – including the United States - can advance without enthusiastically welcoming the immense talents, ideas, and contributions of women, that one of the strongest foundations for guaranteeing development starts with educating girls, and that enlisting the support, understanding, and participation of men in these efforts is essential.

All of us have mothers, sisters, wives, neighbors, and friends who are women. So therefore all of us must recognize that promoting women’s rights is one of the highest calls of our time.”