Beyond the Ballot: ADE Empowers Cameroonian Youth, Women on Electoral Accountability

By Hans Ngala

Some 50 participants drawn from across the civil society sector in Cameroon have ended a two-day intensive workshop on electoral transparency and governance in Yaounde. Held in Yaounde under the auspices of Actions for Development and Empowerment (ADE), the two-day training schooled participants on everything from how to communicate effectively to how to identify mis- and disinformation and also having an understanding of the various forms of governance.
Speaking at the end of the event, Ms. Nancy Saiboh, Executive Director of ADE told CNA: “At Actions for Development and Empowerment (ADE), we believe that democracy does not begin and end at the ballot box. Voting is important, but what happens after elections is equally important”, going further to add that “We organized the “Beyond the Ballot: Inclusive Electoral Accountability in Cameroon” workshop because we recognize the need to move citizens, particularly young people and women, from simply participating in elections to actively engaging in governance and holding institutions accountable”.
Some of the events speakers included former journalist-turned-environmental activist, Eugene Nforngwa who spoke on democracy and Anthony Antem, editor-in-chief of ON POLICY magazine who schooled participants on effective communication methods.
Antem said “It’s very uncommon for young people in Cameroon to create spaces to discuss about the political and governance reality of their country so it’s an opportunity for me to laud this initiative because it comes at a time where Cameroonians will soon be heading to the polls for municipal elections”.
Speaking further, Antem said “This workshop is therefore relevant because it looks at issues beyond the ballot box which very uncommon in our country”.
We spoke to a few of the participants, including Tambe Favourina, a finance professional from Tiko who doubles as an SDG advocate and researcher. Tambe was of the view that “Every knowledge I have gained here on civic leadership, I will take it back to the Tiko Municipality where I come from with the core message being that we do not have to wait for government to be involved in the decision-making process or to be consulted but we can take action and lead in the change that we want to see”.
Similarly, Radah Kathleen Howd, a financial administrator with MAJ FOUNDATIONS (Millennium Associates for Joshua Foundations), said “One of the most valuable aspects of the program was our practical exercises. We learned about community mapping where we identify local problems, stakeholders and find ways to solve them”. Howd went on to say that the session on civic leadership especially stood out to her and she’ll take those skills back to her community.
Gracious Berinyu, a communication specialist and vision bearer for Sisters4Sisters International said “I learned that we pay a lot of attention to our human rights and we forget to respect the rights of others. I also learned that as youth, we are not fully active in the decisions that affect us even though we are quite loud on social media but not practically”.
The discussions rounded up on day two with participants receiving attendance certificates and encouragement to take the skills learned into their various communities.
The workshop raised pertinent issues, including the fact that Cameroon’s current voting age of 20, excludes a large segment of its youth who are eligible for conscription into the army at 18 but have to wait until age 20 to vote – an issue which NewSETA has been rallying against. The organization has even petitioned the President of the Republic to address this issue.
Also, the last presidential election in October 2025 revealed voter apathy among youth as one of the key issues with youth feeling disillusioned and often never being involved in the political process with many only getting informed but never involved.
The Director of ADE, Ms. Saiboh said her desire was that “Ultimately, we hope to build a network of informed and responsible citizens who will continue promoting accountability in their communities long after the workshop. This training is part of a broader initiative supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, with activities focusing on the Centre and Adamawa regions”.