Japan, UN Women offer gender sensitive toilet to Babadjou population.

The facility was symbolically handed over on Monday, November 27.  This was during a ceremony to commemorate the “Japan Day”. 

The event took place at the UN Women office in Yaounde. The occasion was in line with activities to mark the 16 days of Activism to end Violence Against Women and Girls, VAWG.

The gender sensitive toilet was built as part of the project titled: “Building protection capacities of women and girls IDPs hosted in five municipalities of the West, Littoral and Centre Regions”, which aims to respond to the urgent protection needs of women and girl IDPs.

Chairing the event, the Japanese Ambassador to Cameroon, His Excellency Nozomu Takaoka, said the project also aims “to prepare for unforeseen situations deriving from the crisis in the North West and South West, Regions stemming from increased socio-political tension since May 2022”.

Ambassador Takoaka underscored the need to invest in health infrastructure to provide safer gender hygiene and sanitation facilities and help reduce the spread of cholera.

Babadjou Mayor thanks benefactors

The Mayor of Babadjou, Giselle Tsangue, who received the keys to the modern toilet thanked benefactors for coming to assist the people of her community.

“We had other projects apart from these toilets, we had the awareness and training of these staff, we had the kits which can help them to flourish, which was very well done, and we say thank you,” the Mayor said. 

She also pleaded for more assistance given that more Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, are still being received in Babadjou from the North West Region.

Japanese Ambassador, Nozomu Takaoka, UN Women Resident Representative & other stakeholders immortalize event

UN Women Cameroon boss calls for collective action to end VAWG

The Resident Representative of UN Women in Cameroon, Marie Pierre Raky, used the ceremony to call for collective action to end all forms of violence against women and girls.

“Together we are creating a network of support that will reach far beyond geographical boundaries fostering the global community to obtain gender equality,” Raky said. 

She applauded the role of  Japan is combating Gender-Based Violence, GBV, stating that beyond taking part in the activism to end VAWG, stakeholders “also acknowledge the significant strives that have been made in promoting gender equality in Cameroon through the project funded by the Japanese government”.

The UN official said more is still needed in the same direction. According to her: “When we celebrate the progress made we must recognize the work that still lies ahead and persistent shadows of violence that continue to roam over the lives of women and girls worldwide”.

About Japanese project

The project worth $934,879 (approximately 558.6 million FCFA) is being implemented in five councils viz: Babadjou and Dschang in the West Region, Loum and Njombe-Penja in the Littoral Region and Bafia in the Centre Region.

The project targets supporting displaced women and girls with focus on resilience and autonomy. The beneficiaries include IDP women and girls alongside members of host communities. The project targets 10,000 direct beneficiaries and 20,000 indirect beneficiaries.

To achieve expected results, actors are constructing and equipping one women empowerment and family centers in selected communities.

The centres are planned to offer vocational training and accommodation to women and girls who have survived risk and violence. 

There is also the equipment of five-gender desks with national police and gendarmerie to enable women can access the necessary basic legal services. 

The provision of psychosocial support to GBV survivors or women and girls at risk is also another component of the project. 

There is also the provision of livelihood to survivors; strengthening of capacity of actors including civil society, local authorities and state actors for the implementation of the GBV standards in prevention and response.