Abstract
The number of women engaged in the Cameroonian Army continues to increase over the years, but their involvement is still over-shadowed by that of men. Although the importance of research activities to understand the experiences of women in the military is increasingly accepted, they remain very rare or ignored in Cameroon. This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to reveal and describe the gender experiences of a purposive sample of ten female soldiers in the Cameroonian military. One in-depth interview was conducted with each of the participants. Analysis of the data revealed five themes. The results suggest that the army remains a male dominated environment in which women face unique challenges that can be overcome by adopting coping strategies that depend on one’s strength and receiving appropriate support as well as mentorship especially from senior servicewomen. Stereotyping, sexual harassment and underrepresentation in combat arms branches constitute major obstacles to the full integration of female soldiers.
Highlights
The number of women serving in the Cameroon military is unprecedented since independence
The results suggest that the army remains a male dominated environment in which women face unique challenges that can be overcome by adopting coping strategies that depend on one’s strength and receiving appropriate support as well as mentorship especially from senior servicewomen
The main objectives were to uncover the challenges faced by women, the strategies they use to cope and practices that can help improve the wellbeing of servicewomen and boost the performance of the armed forces including in combat
Summary
The number of women serving in the Cameroon military is unprecedented since independence. Compared to men, they are highly underrepresented. Women are seldom found in combat roles and are poorly represented in leadership positions. In addition to being underrepresented, they face many gender related challenges. Gender refers to the socially determined treatment given to people on the basis of sex or roles that are socially considered appropriate for members of each sex. Gender inequality refers to a situation where there are observable differences in status, influence, and participation between men and women in a given organization or society
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