UN Agencies, Humanitarian Actors Step Up Strategies to End GBV in NWR

GBV actors

The United Nations Populations Fund, together with about 10 GBV partners, various UN agencies; UNHCR, WFP, FAO, OCHA and the Ministry of Empowerment, have joined the international community in commemorating 16 days af activism against GBV.

The Campaign which started from November 25th to December 10th, celebrated  under the theme: Orange  the World: "End Violence  against Women".

Over 30 participants; Local GBV actors, men and women from different  walks of life were schooled on the causes, risks and consequences of GBV against women. Talks, sketches, panel discussions characterized activities of the day for participants to better understand what GBV is all about. It was echoed that GBV is not about being a woman but  giving equal rights and equal opportunities  for both men and women.

The head of OCHA Sub Office, ILham Moussa gave an overview of the GBV cases in the NWR, explaining that an increase in cases of GBV is owing to the ongoing crises. Given that most women in crisis are weapons of war the woman in the NWR is not an exception. She has been reduced to psychological, physical, economic and social violence. She then urged participants to collaborate to fight against all forms of violence related to gender

ILham Moussa, head of OCHA Sub Office

GBV Sub Cluster interagency Coordinator for the NW/SW, Florence Alina Ediuon her part talked about the fact that they still face problems though key actors are in existence in the region. The capacity  for effective  response  is low in the region :Some areas hardly have any interventions to address GBV.

A sketch was staged for actors and participants to better understand  the causes, risks and consequences  of GBV, a panel discussion took the centre stage with reference  to the theme, giving reasons why men do not report GBV cases. Reasons being that society has made men superior, some men still think GBV is less important and that Women gang up against men.

Sketch on causes, risks and consequences  of GBV

GBV actors and participants were admonished to change the narrative by suggesting strategies that can change  mindsets by educating  children about human rights  and equal rights, avoid discrimination and use different forums to change mindsets, while creating gender clubs so that boys and girls can better understand  equal rights n enjoy equal opportunities.

Panel discussion

If gender based equality  is not attained GBV will always  resurface. Key propositions  were made by the GBV Sub Cluster Inter-agency  Coordinator  for the Nw/Sw, Florence Alina Ediu which stated: Funding agencies, budget holders, resource mobilizers have to take greater actions towards funding of GBV mainstreaming  activities  by implementing partners.

Humanitarian  agencies, organizations  and individuals were urged to consider strategies that challenge violence against women at work and partners task to embrace coordination and effective  referral in addressing  causes, risks and consequences  of violence  against  women so as to effectively  mitigate  the life threats  conditions. 

Everyone within communities in the NW/SW, Male and female are advised to say NO to any act of violence, stop perpetrating, or condoning GBV.

Cross section of participants

Key messages were drafted for take home to Serve as reminder ; let's end violence against  women, zero tolerance  for rape, break the silence, as silence hides violence amongst  others. 

ILham Moussa called on all to LISTEN and talk about GBV so that survivors can rebuild their lives, while naming and shaming perpetrators.

Ndong Carine

Actors in the fight against GBV lobby to reinforce and strengthen movements towards the fight against GBV in crisis hit Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon

Group picture with partnering organizations and policy makers

Witnessing an effective and efficient zero tolerance GBV policies within institutions and services as we gear towards Agenda 2030 and as part of their activities to observe the 16 days activism against Gender Based Violence some 12 partner organizations today December 12 have presented to State actors, Religious associations as well as Civil society Organizations a policy brief on Gender based violence in the conflict prone Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon. To the head of these organizations piloting this policy document COMAGEND, the choice of today's participants is main those who can affect policy that mainstream GBV issues.

1. The policy document stipulates as key issues the fact that there is a high prevalence of incest fueled by the crisis in the Southwest and Northwest especially as 51.33% of displaced persons squatting with family members and friends are of adolescent girls and young women.

2) It holds that there is a major gap in the protection of women's rights due to lack of legal criminalization of domestic violence and marital rape.

3) The policy document adds that prior to the #COVID19 pandemic, the escalation of VAW in Cameroon could be linked to growing trends of militarization and militarism, prevailing unequal gender relationship and economic upheaval etc.

Cross section of the hall

The policy Document further touched on issues on women and girls (VAWG) as a weapon of war, socio-economic and humanitarian Response Programming Gaps. Accessing the gap that exists in mainstreaming GBV issues at all levels in society, the policy document put of specific recommendations;

1) Draw from local community organizations to elaborate women and girls as leaders and agents of change in programming and policy

2) Generate current data and analyze the solutions to GBV such as collecting data on the number of IDPs who have currently migrated in the region, current measures to fight GBV and the successes.

3) For the government to partner with international humanitarian actors to fund the implementation of policies that improve girls and womens sexual and reproductive health rights such as through providing ethical representation of victims of GBV in Educating about GBV and creating strategies to stop GBV.

4) To build the capacity of media men and women on conflict sensitive reporting, getting a peace journalism approach.

Sally Mboumien

Coordinator COMAGEND

Representing CCMN, was the Secretary General of CCMN NW, Pedmia Shatu who saw the absence on the aspect of online Gender-Based Violence which is equally another form of GBV. She pointed out that Online Gender-Based Violence is targeted harassment and prejudice through technology against people, disproportionately women, based on their gender. The term is also similar to online harassment, cyberbullying and cybersexism, but the latter terms are not gender specific. She recommended that this be added to the policy document and that the Ministry of post and telecommunications will have much to do to trap perpetrators of online GBV.

Pedmia Shatu

Secretary General CCMN Northwest

It is important to note that 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls. The campaign runs every year from 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day.

Coalition members of the policy document

The representatives of the Regional Delegate MINAS NW, Divisional officer B'da III, Regional Delegate MINPROFF, Regional Delegate MINJEC, chief of women empowerment Tubah, Regional Secretary CWF, Ebase Africa, Regional Delegate of bible society, GBV focal person NW UNFPA, CCMN NW and President Christian Family movement were among policy makers presentation at the meeting.

Government representatives

The organizations in this coalition include, Common Action for

Gender Development (COMAGEND) being the lead organization, Sustainable Women

Organization(SWO), Empowered Girl, Global Action For Community Development (GACD),

Organization For Women’s Empowerment And Development (OWED), Hands together with the physically impaired (HaTPhI), Rural And Urban Grassroots Business Women Association (RUGBWA), Community Initiative for Women Empowerment in Development(CIWED),Cho Ngafor Foundation,

Down Syndrome Association Cameroon (DOSYACAM), Beacon of Light Association (BELA) and Community Association for vulnerable persons.

Uppaultine Vimombi

Actors in the fight against GBV lobby to reinforce and strengthen movements towards the fight against GBV in crisis.

Group picture with partnering organizations and policy makers

Witnessing an effective and efficient zero tolerance GBV policies within institutions and services as we gear towards Agenda 2030 and as part of their activities to observe the 16 days activism against Gender Based Violence some 12 partner organizations today December 12 have presented to State actors, Religious associations as well as Civil society Organizations a policy brief on Gender based violence in the conflict prone Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon. To the head of these organizations piloting this policy document COMAGEND, the choice of today's participants is main those who can affect policy that mainstream GBV issues.

1. The policy document stipulates as key issues the fact that there is a high prevalence of incest fueled by the crisis in the Southwest and Northwest especially as 51.33% of displaced persons squatting with family members and friends are of adolescent girls and young women.

2) It holds that there is a major gap in the protection of women's rights due to lack of legal criminalization of domestic violence and marital rape.

3) The policy document adds that prior to the #COVID19 pandemic, the escalation of VAW in Cameroon could be linked to growing trends of militarization and militarism, prevailing unequal gender relationship and economic upheaval etc.

Cross section of the hall

The policy Document further touched on issues on women and girls (VAWG) as a weapon of war, socio-economic and humanitarian Response Programming Gaps. Accessing the gap that exists in mainstreaming GBV issues at all levels in society, the policy document put of specific recommendations;

1) Draw from local community organizations to elaborate women and girls as leaders and agents of change in programming and policy

2) Generate current data and analyze the solutions to GBV such as collecting data on the number of IDPs who have currently migrated in the region, current measures to fight GBV and the successes.

3) For the government to partner with international humanitarian actors to fund the implementation of policies that improve girls and womens sexual and reproductive health rights such as through providing ethical representation of victims of GBV in Educating about GBV and creating strategies to stop GBV.

4) To build the capacity of media men and women on conflict sensitive reporting, getting a peace journalism approach. 

Sally Mboumien

Coordinator COMAGEND

Representing CCMN, was the Secretary General of CCMN NW, Pedmia Shatu who saw the absence on the aspect of online Gender-Based Violence which is equally another form of GBV. She pointed out that Online Gender-Based Violence is targeted harassment and prejudice through technology against people, disproportionately women, based on their gender. The term is also similar to online harassment, cyberbullying and cybersexism, but the latter terms are not gender specific. She recommended that this be added to the policy document and that the Ministry of post and telecommunications will have much to do to trap perpetrators of online GBV.

Pedmia Shatu

Secretary General CCMN Northwest

It is important to note that 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls. The campaign runs every year from 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day.

Coalition members of the policy document

The representatives of the Regional Delegate MINAS NW, Divisional officer B'da III, Regional Delegate MINPROFF,  Regional Delegate MINJEC, chief of women empowerment Tubah, Regional Secretary CWF, Ebase Africa, Regional Delegate of bible society, GBV focal person NW UNFPA, CCMN NW and President Christian Family movement were among policy makers presentation at the meeting.

Government representatives

The organizations in this coalition include, Common Action for 

Gender Development (COMAGEND) being the lead organization, Sustainable Women 

Organization(SWO), Empowered Girl, Global Action For Community Development (GACD), 

Organization For Women’s Empowerment And Development (OWED), Hands together with the physically impaired (HaTPhI), Rural And Urban Grassroots Business Women Association (RUGBWA), Community Initiative for Women Empowerment in Development(CIWED),Cho Ngafor Foundation, 

Down Syndrome Association Cameroon (DOSYACAM), Beacon of Light Association (BELA) and Community Association for vulnerable persons.

Uppaultine Vimombi