Preventing Gender-Based Violence in Cameroon. CHRDA pushed for more action during International Peace Day.
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(Publish as posted on CHRDA website) As the world celebrates International Peace Day on 21 September 2021, the prevention of armed conflicts, climate action and gender equality is key to maintaining sustainable peace. The need for women’s participation in peacebuilding is very essential in shaping communities as well as the prevention of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). During the September 2021 United Nations General Assembly, it was stated that women and girls represent half of the world’s population, but not one country has achieved gender-equality. “Bridging the gender divide is not only a matter of justice for women and girls, it’s a game-changer for humanity”, said the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
This representation has largely been motivated by power imbalance and gender roles at the local, national and international levels; which reinforces the clarion call for the elimination of violence against women and girls in our communities. It is against this backdrop that the CHRDA on the 21st of September 2021 organized a coalition building workshop which brought together more than 50 participants from across the South West Region of Cameroon under the team “Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world”
This coalition building workshop is part of a United Nations Trust Fund project to End Violence against Women and Girls through Social Change. This unique activity uses the revolutionary ‘SASA! Methodology’ that was spectacularly successful with a well-known non-profit organization based in Kampala, Uganda called Raising Voices, which works to prevent violence against women and children. It is the first time the Methodology is being used in Cameroon. At its core, it questions the power dynamics between intimate partners and the community at large. It faces off against the root cause of violence against women and girls, which is power imbalance. It proposes alternative ways of working together by understanding the benefits of power balance and invites the community to use its experiences and resources to orchestrate change without naming or shaming.
The event, which was organized during the commemoration of International Peace Day, reinforced the need for the strengthening of the coalition to prevent violations against women and girls using the SASA! Methodology. This methodology so far, has been welcomed enthusiastically in the thirteen communities CHRDA works with in the war-torn North-West and South-West Regions of Cameroon – because it shuns the apportioning of blame and portrays the benefits of positive change. This has helped men join the movement.
Meaningful inclusion of women in peacebuilding processes leads to lasting/sustainable peace in our communities and countries. Building women’s resilience to the crisis should be prioritized especially in conflict situations. This certainly cannot be achieved if women/girls cannot find peace with themselves and their homes. A culture of peace will be achieved when we understand our unique problems, build the skills to resolve conflict constructively; know and live by international and domestic standards of human rights, nonviolence, gender and equality; appreciate our unique cultural diversity, and respect the integrity of all.
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Berinyuy Cajetan is the founder and publisher of Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (HRLRC) since 2017. He has intensive experience in strategic communications for Civil Society Organizations, campaign and advocacy, and social issues. He has an intensive experiencing in human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting.
