Violence Against women and girls a neglected reality; SOPISDEW exploits ways of prevention and management in crisis hit NW and SW Regions
Violence against women
and girls is a hidden global crisis which knows no boundaries of geography or
culture. The limited evidence on the extent and nature of VAWG in conflict and
humanitarian contexts has been a key barrier to investment in VAWG programming
in emergencies and building the evidence base is a priority for SOPISDEW and
partners. However, there is existing evidence which indicates that VAWG in
emergencies is more prevalent than currently acknowledged, and has a
life-threatening impact on women and girls.
There is growing
evidence on what works to prevent violence against women, based on
well-designed evaluations. In 2019, WHO and UN Women with endorsement from 12
other UN and bilateral agencies published RESPECT women – a framework for
preventing violence against women. The key concepts include Relationship skills
strengthening; Empowerment of women; Services ensured; Poverty reduced;
Enabling environments (schools, work places, public spaces) created; Child and
adolescent abuse prevented; and Transformed attitudes, beliefs and norms.
Physical and sexual
violence against women and girls has risen in the North West and South West
region of Cameroon due to an on-going crisis. COVID-19 is adding to the
existing situation with the number of cases of domestic violence steadily on
the rise. Formal structures intervening on the prevention and management of
domestic violence against women and girls have been disrupted and the situation
is worsened by physical restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 emergency.
Community Based Organizations like The Society for the Promotion of Initiatives
in Sustainable Development and Welfare (SOPISDEW) have shifted their
interventions to a community based approach which is dependent on very limited
resources and often involves the management of complex situations.
SOPISDEW is currently
supporting vulnerable women and girls through both preventive and community
based case management services targeting physical, sexual, psychological,
emotional and economic abuse while serving as part of the referral pathway
including feedback and complaints mechanisms put in place by the Protection
Cluster led by UN OCHA. Key interventions include preventive activities
involving the development and dissemination of outreach and communication
materials on domestic violence through Community Radio and other local
organizations of the GBV network.
SOPISDEW staff at a strategic meeting on prevention and management
of GBV
According to Kemey
Daniel Mbuntum, head of the Social Works Program, SOPISDEW’s community based
case management system involves the use of community social workers and peer
educators to offer Emergency Psychosocial First Aid to victims and referring
them for appropriate action. He further reiterates that community peer
educators who are mostly former victims and survivors are best placed to assist
in interventions. The program has reached out directly to over 200 cases in
Mezam and Bui Divisions of the North West Region of Cameroon and is presently
scaling up to many other conflict-affected communities.
Talking to the Executive
Director of SOPISDEW, Mr Tah Kennette Konsum about future plans to adapt the
prevention and management of domestic violence interventions against women and
girls, he reiterated that they are capitalizing on new community based
mechanisms identified such as benefitting from traditional laws, media and
technology. This will be realised through the development and expansion of
community capacity and local best practises for local context specific
interventions; a system based on lessons learnt due to the present humanitarian
context in various communities.
Mr Tah Kennette Konsum,
Executive Director of SOPISDEW
A Senior
Legal/Protection Officer with SOPISDEW, Mrs Tata Charity Yenlan further raised
arguments about the very central need to counter domestic violence against
women and girls. According to her ‘’when domestic violence prevails in a home,
children suffer greatly, and this is one of the reasons we have children living
in the streets’’. The programme is also intended to address one of the root
causes of child streetism through advocacy and collaboration.
SOPISDEW’s Programs
Manager Ms Sakghe Mildred elaborated on the key activities which have been
previewed to achieve greater impact. They include working with couples to
improve communication and relationship skills; community mobilization
interventions to change unequal gender norms; school clubs that challenge
gender stereotypes and promote relationships based on equality and consent; and
group-based participatory education with women and men to generate critical
reflections about unequal gender power relationships.
Sakghe Mildred,
SOPISDEW’s Programs Manager
On the use of local
networks, SOPISDEW plans to expand a grassroots prevention system involving the
use of community social workers and peer educators (mostly survivors and former
victims). The peer educators and social workers will mostly intervene through
community education at informal women’s meetings, churches, mosques, schools,
hospitals. SOPISDEW will liaise with these communities to expand temporal safe
spaces for women and girls where they can share their experiences in preventing
domestic violence. Direct beneficiaries will include 12 conflict-affected urban
and rural communities in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon. The
wider community will indirectly benefit through production and dissemination of
audio-visual contents through the Cameroon Community Media Network (CCMN); a
network of over 25 community radios and TV stations in both regions, including
other regions. The needs of vulnerable groups (IDPs, specifically women and
girls, people with disabilities and indigenous minority groups such as the
Fulani Mbororo) will also be met.
SOPISDEW team members exploiting ways to prevent VAWG
Founded as a
volunteering organization, SOPISDEW’s mission is to work with local people by
leveraging on their knowledge and skills so they can achieve a sustainable
lifestyle for peace and posterity. SOPISDEW has a combined experience of over 8
years working with vulnerable communities by leveraging on good community
practises.
By Ndefru Melanie
Pics and Info hint: Insider237