Cameroon’s Women’s football team- the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon  have appealed and pledged for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women in sports and other domains.

They made this pledge by signing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Ball on 13 May 2019 at the CAF training Center in Mbankomo, Yaounde, prior to their departure for the 2019 FIFA World Cup tournament in France.

The event was organised by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP Cameroon), in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education and the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT).

“The aspirations of everyone should be taken into consideration for a win-win partnership and the fight against all forms of inequalities”, declared the team captain- Manie Christine.

“We consider Gender equality at UNDP as an objective and at the same time, a development strategy” Jean Luc Stalon, Resident Representative of UNDP Cameroon, told the Indomitable Lionesses. “We want to use this huge opportunity to advocate for gender equality and the Empowerment of Women in Cameroon and across the world”, Jean Luc added.

The Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Pr. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi lauded UNDP Cameroon for the initiative. He described the solemn event as “strategic”, adding that gender equality and the Empowerment of women is key to Cameroon’s development objectives.

The SDG ball signed by the football team will be taken to France during which UNDP will organise a side event around the World Cup competition to bring more visibility and awareness around Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.