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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