CHRDA is fighting Violence against Women and Girls through Community Conversations about the benefits of gender equality.
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The Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA) is a Cameroonian based NGO with focus on promoting and protecting Human Rights and Democracy. They also focused on raising awareness and advocating for the respect and protection of women’s rights. Below is the report on a conference organized by CHRDA and partners on 6 and 8 May 2021 as published on their official website
“To End Violence against Women and Girls, it is important for communities to rethink and reshape social norms undermining women’s rights. Gender-Based Violence knows no boundary, it pierces our communities through stereotypes and socio-cultural norms and we can only end this social illness through changes in behaviour, attitude and practices, this can only happen through a gentle and engaging education/awareness and advocacy.” Ms Ebenye Karin, CHRDA’s Gender Officer said during a workshop on ending violence against women and girls through the SASA! Methodology,
VAWG is a violation of human rights as well as serious public health and public security challenges. Gender and power inequalities are amongst the root causes of this epidemic in our communities, which leads to worsening women’s vulnerability and increasing the frequency of their victimization. It is therefore critical to engage all actors in the community- women, men, cultural and religious leaders, local police officers, and health care providers in preventing VAWG. Participants were encouraged to examine power relations in their own lives. Through the various presentations, the participants drawn from all walks of life brainstormed on how to stray from the typical violence-against-women jargon, which often shames perpetrators, to having community members think about the benefits of balancing power within relationships through various outreach activities that can be tailored to specific contexts. With the coalition created, the fight against VAWG will be more effective. If we must have happier, healthier, safer communities and relationships between men and women, then all hands must be on deck.
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.
