UN General Assembly
1998

people? What democracy can there be for a people suffering from malnutrition, with no access to basic health care, drinking water or elementary education. We thus need to return the human being to the centre of development. Cameroon has constantly contributed to this lofty endeavour. The salient activities we have undertaken to mark the fiftieth anniversary in my country include informing people about human rights and making all of society aware of human rights issues through media campaigns, seminars, conferences and poster campaigns throughout our land, even in villages; the introduction of human rights teaching in schools and universities; issuing special postage stamps; promoting in particular the rights of women, children and disabled or infirm people, establishing a prize for the best research in the human rights area; and the opening by the head of State of a public square dedicated to human rights. But above and beyond commemorating the anniversary, Cameroon has for a decade been making important progress in promoting human rights. It did so first through a series of legislative and regulatory measures