Cameroon's electoral body Elections Cameroon (Elecam) in collaboration with UN Women Cameroon on Wednesday kicked off an awareness campaign to have women participate in the upcoming pioneer regional elections in the country.

Essousse Erik, director-general of Elecam, said, the campaign will outline and promote a raft of measures to ensure equal participation of women in the available positions. 

"Cameroonian women are more and more being represented in political sphere in the country but we need to keep this moving. We are working to reinforce the capacity of women in the political sector so that they play their role as leaders," Erik told reporters in the capital, Yaounde at the start of the awareness campaign.

With just 15 days to the deadline to submit candidacies for the elections, officials urged women to apply for positions and run for the elections in order to voice their concerns. 

"They need to participate in the elections, vote and be voted," said Valerie Mengue Ango, Programme Manager for leadership and political participation at UN Women Cameroon. 

On Monday, Cameroon's President Paul Biya signed a presidential decree slating the pioneer election of regional councillors for Dec. 6.