SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DEPARTMENT

Role of the Socio-Cultural Affairs Department (Cameroon CTD Context)

The department’s mission is directly tied to the transfer of competencies to Decentralized Territorial Communities (CTDs), as stipulated in Article 17 of Law No. 2019/024 (General Code of CTDs), which mandates the transfer of competencies necessary for social, cultural, educational, and sports development.

1. Social Action and Public Health Support

This function focuses on promoting social welfare, assisting vulnerable groups, and complementing state services in local health and social issues.

• Vulnerable Group Assistance: Organizes and manages support and relief for the needy populations (couches nécessiteuses), including the elderly, people with disabilities, internally displaced persons, and underprivileged families.
• Social and Health Infrastructure: Supports the creation, equipment, and management of social assistance centres and, crucially, provides support to existing local health centres and public primary schools (which fall under the council’s competence).
• Social Inclusion: Implements local programs for social rehabilitation and re-insertion of persons with disabilities or those facing social maladjustment (e.g., juvenile delinquents).
• Literacy and Education: Participates in the development of the regional school map and carries out literacy campaigns (lutte contre l’analphabétisme) in partnership with the Region.

2. Cultural and Heritage Promotion

This function is focused on developing and celebrating the rich cultural diversity and historical assets of the local community.

• Cultural Infrastructure: Creates and manages municipal libraries, socio-cultural centres, and local museums to serve as hubs for community learning and interaction.
• Cultural Events: Organizes or supports the organization of cultural days, traditional festivals, artistic competitions, and literary events.
• Heritage Preservation: Works to preserve and promote the historical heritage, sites, and monuments within the council area.
• Local Language Promotion: Supports cultural associations and initiatives aimed at promoting and translating elements of oral tradition (tales, legends, myths) and promoting national languages at the local level.

3. Youth, Sports, and Leisure (Animation)

This function ensures the vitality and engagement of the youth, providing recreational outlets and facilities.

• Sports Development: Organizes and manages sports activities and competitions, and is responsible for the creation, development, and maintenance of local sports infrastructure (e.g., municipal stadia and leisure grounds).
• Youth Empowerment: Implements programs for the professional insertion and re-insertion of youth and supports local initiatives like micro-projects that are income-generating and job-creating.
• Animation and Leisure: Manages leisure activities and ensures the availability of public spaces for recreation and relaxation, contributing to the overall quality of life.

The Socio-Cultural Affairs Department, therefore, acts as the primary implementer of social cohesion and human development policies at the grassroots level, ensuring that the local development plan addresses non-economic welfare alongside infrastructural needs.

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