How Guinness changed the game for women in Cameroon

In Cameroon, women are not yet seen as equal and similar career paths are discouraged, mothers are not supporting daughters in their life choices, and getting married and raising children is the expectation. This inequality is seen in football as well.  There are football leagues for women but the lack of support, respect, reward, media platforms and finance mean that the women’s game is a poor relation to men’s football and it is an active struggle to be a female footballer in Cameroon.   

Based on qualitative research, our insight was that despite having suffered from gender inequality themselves the elder generations of Cameroonian women hold back their own daughters and nieces from fulfilling their dreams.  This issue was amplified in attitudes towards women’s sport in Cameroon, particularly football. We targeted the mothers of women footballers to make the point to the elder women of Cameroon that they could be the greatest positive influence on younger generations of women.