738- Moreover, between 2010 and 2017 there was a relative change in the number of women
in the judiciary. Thus, this number has moved from 242 women against 752 men on a total of
994 Magistrates in 2010 that is 24.35% to 305 women against 862 men on a total of 1,167
Magistrates in 2012 that is 26.14%. In 2017, the number of women in this corps passed the
30% ceiling with a total number of 607 women out of a total of 1,668 Magistrates that is a
ratio of 36.39%. At the Supreme Court, 22 women were among the staff in 2017 out of 109
Magistrates, that is a ratio of 20.18%. In addition, among the 22 heads of Courts of Appeal
and Procureurs General, there are 4 women that is, 18.18% which is an improvement
compared to the year 2014 when the rate was 13.63%.
Table No. 7: Evolution of number of Women in the Judiciary
Women
Men
Total
Percentage of Women (%)
2010
242
752
994
24.35
2012
305
862
1167
26.14
2017
607
1061
1668
36.39
Total
1,154
Source: MINJUSTICE.
2,675
3,829
30.14
739- An analysis of the staff in the corps of Court Registrars also reflects a consideration of
gender. In 2018, out of 2,936 Court Registrars, there are 1, 485 women against 1, 451 men,
that is 50.57 % as opposed to 49.42 % respectively. These figures are to be contextualised
when it comes to appointments to positions of responsibility, where there are 19 women
among 180 Registrars –in -Chief, that is, 10.55%.
740- As for Lawyers, there were 345 women as against 1,605 men on a total of 1,950
Lawyers in 2016, that is, 18% and 82% respectively. The rate of female representation moved
to 21.48% at the end of 2018 as there were 546 women among 2,541 lawyers.
6: Reforming Discriminatory Laws and Practices to Promote and
Protect Women’s Rights.
741- Legislative reforms incorporate the fight against discrimination and the promotion of
equality as illustrated above with the Penal Code (see, § 721 et al.).
742- Meanwhile, the State continues making efforts to completely eradicate discriminatory
provisions against women from the laws. The same goes for the 1981 Ordinance that
organizes Civil status and which gives the possibility to a husband to prevent his wife from
exercising a trade separate from his in the interest of the household, the ability to manage joint
property recognised as a right to the husband lone under the Civil Code. On the latter aspect,
the courts increasingly apply equality provisions as provided for by international conventions
ratified by the State. This is the case with judgement No. 31/COM/TGI of 16 November 2017
rendered by the Bamboutos High Court wherein the Judge relied on Articles 15 and 16 of
CEDAW to cancel a mortgage agreement signed by a husband on a joint property without the
consent of his wife.
C: Female Participation in the Management of Public Affairs
743- The political option for inclusive and equal governance can be assessed on the ground of
female participation in the electoral process and in decision making even if much is still left to
be done looking at the results so far.
1: Female Participation in the Electoral Process
744- The participation of the Cameroonian woman in the electoral process has registered
astounding progress. Unlike the 1970s when it was very insignificant, this participation
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