By Gnoukapasi Martial.
A
situational analyses of the socio economic and cultural impacts of the
ongoing crisis on the anglophone population of Cameroon, has revealed
more than meets the ordinary eye.
Statistics from the IRC (international red cross committee) has
further revealed that since the start of the crisis, over 70% of women
aged 15 to 35 are more exposed to abuse.
Women and children who are the highest to have suffered displacement
from their homes are not only faced with the problem of accommodation,
but the inability to meet their basic needs as well.
This
has pushed alot, out of frustration, to adopt unhealthy coping
mechanisms, in an attempt to satisfy their wants and needs, and believe
you me that, some of the strategies and tactics employed hasn't been the
best, and has futher exposed them to cases of gender abuse in their
host communities.
Most of these women, especially the girls just by the virtue of the
fact that they now share shelter, water points, latrines, showers and
other facilities with their host community, futher exposes them to risks
of sexual violence, which evidently has been on the rise since the
escalation of the ongoing crisis.
It is for the above mentioned reasons
and more that COMINSUD (Community Initiative for Sustainable
Development) in collaboration with UNFPA(United Nations Population
Fund), have embarked on a campaign to reinforce it's fight against the
ill, while raising more awareness on sexual and Reproductive health for
behavioral change.
A workshop to this effect for Media men and Women amongst which
included pidgin and local language broadcasters, online media promoters,
engaged to accompany the implementation and intensification of the
fight against gender base violence(GBV) and Promotion of sexual
reproductive health(SRH) campaign, took place thursday 19th in Bamenda,
chief town of the north west region.
The media practitioners have designed spots, micro programs, social media banners and posters on 5 thematics, that's ;
- Safe delivery
- Menstrual hygiene
- Family planning
- HIV/AIDS, and
- GBV(gender base violence), that will help drive the message across to the community.
Facilitators
at the workshop included Mrs Eseni Cordelia, mezam divisional delegate
for women's empowerment and family, Mr David Ayim, a reproductive health
expert and Pedmia Shatu Tita, journalist and communication strategist.
The MINPROFF GBV expert says much is expected from the media
practionals who'll be accompanying Cominsud in the implemention of the
project:
"we
expect the journalists to be able to not only raise the awareness they
are supposed to, but give out the information on gender base violence
in the rightful manner, such that the survivors will not be further
victimized or stigmatized. We will equally be expecting to see the
population responding in a positive way, where we'll have a drop in the
number of cases of GBV happening in our community as well as witness a
situation where men and women will be coming up to report
cases/Instances of GBV."
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