M. Tech. Industrial Engineering. / Discusses the objective of this research is to develop a scheduling model that can maximize manufacturing system performance in Cameroon tile manufacturing industries.This research is aimed at achieving the following specific objectives. a. Evaluate scheduling model available and their impact on ceramic tile manufacturing industries in Cameroon. b. Develop a simple and efficient production scheduling model and also propose an approach of reacting to disruptions, i.e. whether to reschedule or not. c. Evaluate the performance of the model on different tile manufacturing industries lay-outs in Cameroon and also test it in a selected South African tile manufacturing industry for validation purpose.

The thesis aims at bringing to light the immense, yet ignored, contribution of women to the establishment of Christianity in Northern Cameroon. Northern Cameroon has a quite different historical development from the south of the country, with a significant difference being the presence of Islam in the north, which dates back to the beginning of the eleventh century. However, the situation of women in the church and society in Northern Cameroon today is no different from that experienced by women throughout centuries of male domination and, indeed, still experience in most of the traditions and cultures of the African continent. In highly patriarchal societies, like the African traditional societies of Northern Cameroon, in which Islam and Christianity have increasingly silenced and isolated women, it is very difficult to see clearly the contribution of women in social, economic and cultural domains. In Northern Cameroon, as elsewhere, women's contribution to the country's development, as well as their involvement in planting Christianity has not been, and still is not being, properly acknowledged. Everything achieved for the advancement of the well being of society, even if achieved by a woman, has been attributed to a man. Yet, as my interest in the historical development of Christianity in Northern Cameroon grew, I realised that women were at the forefront of bringing Christianity into the region, and remain the main contributors in its spread throughout the region, even though official records do not mention them as the main contributors. Hence, this oral history study has made it possible to bring to light the role of not only the women missionaries, but also the African women in a major area of public life, the church, when their contribution to it has been denied for years. Therefore, the thesis is based mostly on oral interviews since nothing is written about the work of women in the church in Northern Cameroon, apart from the reports by missionaries for their mission societies. Hence, the aim of this study has been to explore both the past and the present of Christianity in Northern Cameroon in order to make known to a wider public the extent of women 's contribution to social, cultural, and religious change. Thirty-five people were interviewed for this study in three different countries, Cameroon, Norway and South Africa. Twenty-seven interviewees were women, eight were men and interviews were conducted in French, Fulfulde (an African language spoken by most people in Northern Cameroon), and in English. Fifteen interviewees either served or were still serving as missionaries in Cameroon, the remaining twenty were non-missionary Cameroon nationals, except for one person from Madagascar. Most of the women who contributed to this study were involved in the women's movement in the Lutheran church in Cameroon. Apart from a group of regional leaders of the Women For Christ (WFC), who were interviewed together during their annual meeting in 1999 in Ngaoundere, all interviews took place individually, and interviews were conducted in the form of free conversation so as not to limit the informant by a question and answer format. Despite telling their stories to myself, a man, the women were enthusiastic and openly willing to relate their experiences as church members, as well as their thoughts about how they believed relations between men and women should be. An explanation for this attitude is that most of the women knew me as one of the very few Lutheran ministers in the church in Cameroon with a concern for the position of women in both church and society. The thesis concludes with proposals in favour of the women's full participation in the ministries of the church, which include the ordained ministry, and some suggestions on the necessary mutual collaboration between men and women in social, economic and political domains in Northern Cameroon. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002. / Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

In the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, men who have sex with men (MSM) have experienced high levels of infection. Consequently, this population is considered a crucial target for prevention, care, and treatment efforts. In sub-Saharan Africa, however, most HIV transmission occurs via heterosexual intercourse, and 60% of HIV cases are women. African HIV epidemics are thus classified as “heterosexual” phenomena, and MSM are rarely targeted by public health programming. Epidemiological studies now show that African MSM often have greater HIV prevalence than the general population. Behavioral research further indicates elevated sexual risk and low prevention-related knowledge levels among these men. Moreover, denial, stigmatization, and criminalization of male homosexual conduct across Africa have created social climates in which MSM remain “hidden,” fearing rejection or arrest. This has heightened their vulnerability to HIV infection. To counteract this trend, public health advocates call for prevention interventions adapted to the needs of African MSM. In a few countries, local NGOs have begun mobilizing around the “MSM issue.” However, little information exists about HIV prevention among MSM in sub-Saharan Africa and the associations undertaking it. Using a case study of one such association – Alternatives-Cameroun – this project aimed to explore the factors affecting design and implementation of HIV prevention interventions for MSM in Cameroon. Homosexual conduct is illegal in Cameroon, and MSM are frequently harassed and arrested. Nonetheless, Alternatives-Cameroun has launched prevention programming that reaches “hidden” MSM and addresses their unique characteristics. Through qualitative research involving stakeholder interviews and personal observation, this project found that local, national, and international factors all influence choices of intervention content and delivery formats. Interventions are designed by Cameroonian MSM, for Cameroonian MSM, but are also informed by empirical research and outreach principles drawn from other contexts. Implementation is a challenge in Cameroon’s hostile and resource-poor environment: stakeholders bear physical, emotional, and financial burdens during outreach. However, internal dynamics and foreign support help Alternatives-Cameroun mitigate these obstacles. This project reveals that understanding local realities and reinforcing multi-sectoral mobilization around MSM issues are important first steps towards launching HIV prevention interventions for MSM in sub-Saharan Africa. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

This thesis compared the status of women's political participation in Cameroon and South Africa through an assessment conducted against the backdrop key of international, regional and national human rights standards. The aim of this thesis was not only, to be conscious of women's absence in politics, but to also take steps to redefine sound strategies to implement gender equality in terms of the political participation of women on the part of governments.

Universit́e, Diss., 2005--Bielefeld.

Thesis (Doctoral)--Université de Strasbourg II, 1978. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 275-282).

Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio (fiscina@bahia.fiocruz.br) on 2013-10-15T19:41:49Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Erivelton 1 Oliveira Souza Caracterizaçao dos perfis...2012.pdf: 2501634 bytes, checksum: c5ec35828b8fce881d7f6a1ae0ff2b45 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-10-15T19:41:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Erivelton 1 Oliveira Souza Caracterizaçao dos perfis...2012.pdf: 2501634 bytes, checksum: c5ec35828b8fce881d7f6a1ae0ff2b45 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil / A resistência aos fármacos utilizados no tratamento da tuberculose (TB) é um importante desafio no combate à doença. A rifampicina e a isoniazida são dois fármacos de primeira linha essenciais para a cura da doença, a qual tem como agente o M. tuberculosis. Pacientes com TB cujos isolados de M. tuberculosis apresentem resistência in vitro simultânea a estes dois fármacos desenvolvem a TB multirresistente (TBMR). A resistência do M. tuberculosis está relacionada com mutações em genes importantes para a sobrevivência do bacilo. O tratamento da TBMR é mais longo e utiliza fármacos anti-TB de segunda linha, os quais são de maior toxicidade, predispondo os pacientes à não adesão aos esquemas de tratamento. O paciente com TBMR, quando não devidamente tratado, pode selecionar cepas resistentes aos fármacos anti-TB de segunda linha, proporcionando o surgimento da TB extensivamente resistente (TBXDR). Por sua vez, estas cepas podem ser transmitidas em comunidades, constituindo um grave problema de saúde pública. Segundo a Organização Mundial de Saúde, a TBXDR tem sido documentada em alguns países, mas no Brasil estes dados são escassos. A caracterização genética de cepas de M. tuberculosis envolvidas com os casos TBMR/TBXDR pode facilitar a identificação de vias de transmissão. OBJETIVO: Pesquisar casos de TBXDR na Bahia e caracterizar perfis genéticos de isolados de M. tuberculosis de pacientes com TB multirresistente, associando o perfil genético encontrado com as características sócio-demográficas e clínicas dos pacientes envolvidos. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Isolados de M. tuberculosis obtidos de pacientes com diagnóstico de TBMR entre 2008-2011 residentes no Estado da Bahia (Brasil) foram submetidos ao teste de sensibilidade utilizando fármacos anti-TB de primeira e segunda linha e genotipados pela técnica do Número Variável de Repetições em Tandem de Unidades Repetitivas Inter-espaçadas Micobacterianas (MIRU-VNTR) para obtenção de perfis genéticos que foram associados com perfis da base de dados internacional MIRU-VNTRplus. Isolados com perfis genéticos não associáveis a linhagens com o uso desta técnica foram adicionalmente genotipados por Spoligotyping e ambas as informações foram consideradas para assimilação de linhagens utilizando esta mesma base de dados. Informações clínico-epidemiológicas foram obtidas do banco de dados “Sistema TBMR” do Ministério da Saúde. RESULTADOS: Foram analisados 392 isolados. Destes, 35% foram excluídos por ausência de crescimento ou contaminação e 12% constituíam amostras em duplicata, resultando em 206 pacientes com TBMR no estudo. Comprovou-se a ocorrência da TBXDR em 7% (14/206) dos pacientes; destes, dois não possuíam registro anterior para qualquer tratamento anti-TB. Os pacientes estudados foram provenientes de 45 municípios do Estado. A capital, Salvador, concentrou 71% dos casos TBMR e 76% dos TBXDR. Dos casos TBXDR, 36% (5/14) apresentaram isolados resistentes a todos os fármacos testados. Observou-se associação de resistência combinada entre estreptomicina e etambutol (8/14, 57%) e o perfil TBXDR (RP 4,0; IC95% 1,2-13,8; P=0,01). Dos casos TBXDR, 71% (10/14) desenvolveram uma ou mais comorbidades (P=0,04), sendo o transtorno mental uma comorbidade significativa neste grupo (21%; 3/14; P=0,04). Encontrou-se 56 perfis genéticos, 38 únicos e 18 agrupados em clusters (contendo de 2 a 11 isolados). Quase a totalidade (92%) dos casos TBXDR esteve agrupada em clusters, diferindo dos casos não-TBXDR (P=0,049). Os perfis genéticos estiveram principalmente associados a seis famílias: LAM (70%), Cameroon (16%), Haarlem (10%) e as famílias X, S, Uganda I, que combinadas perfizeram 4%. Os casos TBXDR foram representados pelas famílias LAM (45%, ST’s 376, ST42, ST20), Cameroon (36%, ST61 único) e Haarlem (18%, ST50). CONCLUSÕES: A Bahia apresentou casos de TBXDR e as famílias de M.tuberculosis envolvidas com estes casos foram LAM, Cameroon e Haarlem. A genotipagem auxiliou na descoberta de casos epidemiologicamente relacionados. / Resistance to drugs used in tuberculosis (TB) chemotherapy is a major challenge to fighting this disease caused by M. tuberculosis. Rifampin and isoniazid are two main first-line drugs to achieve TB cure. TB patients whose M. tuberculosis isolates exhibit resistance simultaneously to these two drugs develop multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). M. tuberculosis resistance is related to mutations in genes important for bacillus survival. MDR-TB treatment is longer and uses more toxic second-line anti-TB drugs, predisposing patients to non-adherence to treatment regimens. Patients with MDR-TB, when not properly treated, can select strains resistant to second-line anti-TB drugs leading to the emergence of extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB). These strains can be transmitted in communities, constituting a serious public health problem. According to the World Health Organization, XDR-TB has been documented in some countries, but in Brazil these data are scarce. The genetic characterization of M. tuberculosis strains involved in MDR/XDR-TB cases could facilitate the identification of transmission chains. AIMS: To investigate cases of XDR-TB in Bahia and to characterize the genetic profiles of the isolates of M. tuberculosis from patients with multidrug-resistant TB, associating the genetic profiles observed with the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients involved. MATERIALS AND METHODS: M. tuberculosis isolates obtained from patients diagnosed with MDR-TB between 2008-2011 resident in the State of Bahia (Brazil) were tested for sensitivity against first and second-line anti-TB drugs and genotyped by the Variable Number of Tandem Repeats in Repetitive Unit Inter- Mycobacterial spaced (MIRU-VNTR) technique to obtain the genetic profiles that were associated with profiles in the international database MIRU-VNTRplus. Isolates whose genetic profiles have not matched any lineage with the use of this technique were further genotyped by Spoligotyping and information from both methods were considered to test for the possible matching with lineages from the same database. Clinical and epidemiological data were obtained from the database "Sistema TBMR" of the Ministry Health. RESULTS: We analyzed 392 isolates. Of these, 35% were excluded due to absence of growth or contamination and 12% corresponded to duplicate samples, resulting in 206 patients with MDR-TB in the study. XDR-TB was found in 7% (14/206) of the patients, two of which had no previous record of any anti-TB treatment. The patients studied were from 45 cities of the State. The capital, Salvador, concentrated 71% of all MDR-TB and 76% of the XDR-TB cases. Among XDR-TB cases, 36% (5/14) had isolates resistant to all drugs tested here. Combined resistance to streptomycin and ethambutol (8/14, 57%) was associated with the XDR-TB profile (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.2 to 13.8, P = 0.01). 71 %(10/14) of XDR-TB cases developed one or more comorbidities (P= 0.04), mental disorder being a significant comorbidity in this group (21%, 3/14, P=0.04). Genotyping yielded 56 profiles, 38 unique and 18 in clusters (containing 2 to 11 isolates). Almost all (92%) XDR-TB cases were clustered, differing from non-XDR-TB cases (P=0.049). The genetic profiles were mainly associated with six families: LAM (70%), Cameroon (16%), Haarlem (10%), and the families X, S, Uganda I, which altogether amounted to 4%. The XDR-TB cases were represented by LAM (45% ST's 376, ST42, ST20), Cameroon (36%, single ST61) and Haarlem (18% ST50). CONCLUSIONS AND STUDY CONTRIBUTIONS: Bahia presented cases of XDR-TB and the families involved with these cases were LAM, Haarlem and Cameroon. Genotyping helped in epidemiologically linked case finding.

Researchers are increasingly drawn to the study of societal bilingualism (or multilingualism), which is the study of the specific nature of bilingualism practiced by a nation, state, province or territory. Such studies seek to identify the institutions and legal frameworks put in place to regulate and reproduce bilingualism, as well as to understand groups which practice bilingualism. Drawing on a descriptive approach that flows from a sociological model of critical theory and conflict theory, this study is based on societal bilingualism in Cameroon, the only other country in the world, apart from Canada, that has both English and French as its only official languages. Cameroon is also one of the few African countries that do not have a local language as an official language. Acknowledging the central role of texts and their analysis in understanding social practices, this case study is carried out using critical document analysis to examine previous research, mass media products, government reports, historical data and information, laws, orders, press releases and speeches to uncover the precise nature of official language bilingualism in Cameroon. The study offers insights into the relevant historical and language background against which a critical discussion on official language bilingualism and an analysis of the legal frameworks and institutions set up to regulate and reproduce this bilingualism can be carried out. Attention is given to translation policies and to the most recent measures taken to foster State bilingualism in Cameroon. Indeed, official language bilingualism has been heavily predicated on translation, its institutions and legal framework. This timely case study traces the nation’s failure, as witnessed by the current situation of unrest, to successfully implement, mainly through translation, an official language bilingualism policy that grants equal status to English and French across the national territory. This research concludes that an alternative solution would be to introduce bilingual education as well, particularly from the nursery and elementary school levels, given that, for a long time now, Cameroon has had early simultaneous bilinguals who speak both English and French before they attain school age. A brief comparison between the context of official language bilingualism within the educational system in Cameroon and in Canada highlights the fact that Cameroon has the potential to establish one of the strongest forms of bilingual education in the world.

Critically examines the extent of corruption in the police in Cameroon and Uganda as well as the impact of police corruption and what best practices on anti-corruption measures in the police can be identified in Cameroon and Uganda. Also looks at the correlation between corruption, policing and human rights. This study relies significantly on secondary data gathered from the library such as books, articles, case law, international and domestic instruments and internet sources. The writer's experiences from both countries will also be included. Interviews and focus group discussions give more authenticity to the topic. / Thesis (LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa)) -- University of Pretoria, 2007. / A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Law University of Pretoria, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Masters of Law (LLM in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa). Prepared under the supervision of Prof. J Oloka-Onyango of the Faculty of Law, Makerere University – Kampala, Uganda. / http://www.chr.up.ac.za/ / Centre for Human Rights / LLM

In the wake of the 19th century, the protestant reformation in Europe that led to the formation of mainline reformation traditions began impacting and shaping ministry in Africa, through missionary activities. But the clarion call for Africa’s renaissance was also a wakeup call for the African church to move from being consumers of the ‘imported’ theology brewed from a European perspective and take some responsibility in producing her own theology, which can be viewed and understood with an African cultural lens. If Africa must achieve the much needed renaissance, the church certainly has an indispensable role to play. But how can there be a meaningful church praxis in African polities without a solid contextualized theological foundation? Therefore in this project, I justify the need for a biblio-centric African theology by making a case for the Cameroon Baptist Convention in the Republic of Cameroon. I argue that, to be able to solidify its foundation and enhance its Christian theological praxis in the society, a Cameroon Baptist Theological Treatise is needed in the Cameroon Baptist Convention. One that would contain well delineated and defended theological tenets required of an independent Christian denomination in Africa. Central to the development of this treatise is the development of a soteriology with a cognitive theological understanding of divine predestination. To develop a correct soteriology for this purpose, a process is required, one that would need to use sound theological principles to ensure a biblically accurate and theologically sound doctrine of soteriology as the point of departure. As an evangelical systematic theological research, I attempt in this project to deconstruct biblical and theological paradigms from scriptures and reformation traditions, which the Cameroon Baptist Convention leaders could use as tools in the process of delineating and defending their own tenets on soteriology in the proposed theological treatise. It begins by gathering data from reformation traditions and scriptures on predestination and moves on to construct theories that would not only help the Cameroon Baptist Convention leaders to develop a soteriology but also be fundamental to developing other relevant doctrines needed in the proposed Cameroon Baptist Theological Treatise. / Philosophy & Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)