16 Days of Activism: UN Women, Team Europe partnering to end violence against women & girls.

This is within the framework of 16 days of activism against Gender-Based Violence, GBV. 

The two institutions are carrying out a campaign on the theme: “Unite! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”. 

The objective of the campaign was presented to the media during a joint press conference in Yaounde on Friday, November 24.

The presser had as aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the concept of the campaign, and to increase public knowledge on the interventions and synergy of action of Team Europe and the United Nations System, UNS, in relation to violence against women and girls, in Cameroon.

The Resident Representative of the UN Women in Cameroon, Marie Pierre Raky Chaupin, emphasised that there is need to communicate effectively on the issue to raise more awareness on Violence Against Women and Girls, VAWG.

Raky Chaupin accentuated the need for unity in the campaign to ensure better results. “We need more communication and investment. We need to come together, the United Nations, the EU and the government to address the issue together,” she said.

She further stated: “We have the responsibility to be involved because this issue is a global pandemic; it is not a women issue”.

On his part, Head of Cooperation with the European Union, EU, Jerome Pons, highlighted that the union was proud to be associated with the government of Cameroon and the UN System to fight against violence against women and girls.

“We have member countries in the EU that also have this problem,” Pons stated, adding that: “We welcome the partnership with Cameroon to try to deal with the issue as well”.

In order to carry out the campaign effectively, the official said the EU had outlined an agenda to ensure its success.

“We will have activities across the country in Douala, Dschang, Maroua and in a number of rural areas to make sure that we can promote the fight against violence against women and girls” Pons stated.

UN Women, Team Europe & other stakeholders saying NO to VAWG

Sensitisation activities 

There are a series of activities earmarked within the 16 days campaign which kicked off on Saturday November 25 and will run till December 10. 

One of such was a sensitisation concert to combat violence against women organised by Team Europe at the Multipurpose Sports Complex on November 25.

This will be followed by the publication of stories from women who are survivors of violence by Team Europe on social media platforms.

Other activities include training of operational staff of member states on gender leadership, an exchange with students of the University of Yaounde II on the occasion of the 75^th anniversary of the declaration of Human Rights.

Apart from joint activities by Team Europe, individual members of the team will also be carrying out separate activities.

France will be carrying out a sensitisation against cyber harassment in schools in the city of Douala and the Advanced School of Mass Communication, ASMAC in Yaounde.

There will be sensitisation campaigns with partner Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, in Dschang, Yaounde and Buea organised by the German cooperation while a conference on empowering women to break silence when faced with violence, is expected to hold at the Spanish Cultural Centre in Yaounde.