Unlearning the practices that promotes Gender Based Violence: 05/07/2021

Before COVID-19, the North West Region of Cameroon has been witnessing an ongoing armed conflict. The coming of the pandemic period made the region to undergo a dual crisis situation. Before the crisis, women were experiencing violence as a result of the patriarchal and masculinity society created by cultural stereotypes.

Source: Field pictures taken by me

The crisis has worsen the situation as women’s vulnerability has further been compounded. This is so because with the crisis, most women lost their sources of livelihood. Those who were already into abusive relationships were constantly forced to stay at home with abusers during the COVID-19 lockdown. Those suffering most being indigenous women, persons living with disabilities, and women and girls.

Source: Field pictures taken by me

Source: Field pictures taken by me

Most Common Forms of Violence

-) Sexual violence: most women and girls are constantly harassed and rape on a daily basis. Forced prostitution is rampant as girls especially Internally Displaced girls from most affected communities dependent on material gifts offered to them.
-2) Economic Violence: This has greatly affected indigenous women as a result of the “polaaku” culture. Women are not permitted to go out to fend for themselves. Some cultures forbid women from owning land as they are considered as “property”.
-3) Physical Violence: women in abusive relationships, are often tortured by their partners especially when they are drunk.
-4) Early Marriages: The crisis has led to many schools closed. Most parents especially in rural communities, forced their girls to get married as they collect bride price to survive.

Cause of GBV

• Negative use of power by perpetrators

Contributing Factors

• Poverty
• High rate of Dependency
• High level of illiteracy

With all these ills ongoing in our communities, we needed to strategically come out with ways to curb the situation.

We first carried out focus group Discussions within these communities to asses women vulnerability. While doing the focus group Discussions, we realised that more sensitisation and awareness raising is vital. For this reasons, I had to organise a meeting with women’s rights organisations on how to collectively fight GBV.

Awareness Raising
I had to engaged with the media, to sensitive and create awareness of the ills that posed a threat to to women and girls. Millions of women and girls are affected by the dual crisis situation in my region. Most of them lost their jobs, many girls dropped out of school, the rate of domestic violence on women has tripled, and patriarchal, and masculinity forces taking over our communities. To challenge these societal norms, we need to protect women as human rights are universal. This means that they are inborn, God given rights and cannot be taken away from us.

Source: Field pictures taken by me

Methodology to be Used

• Mobilising
• Forming Coalitions
  We need to question the use of power by those in charge. We need parity when it comes to leadership. Parity is a key factor if we want to look at a gender balance society. The informal sector is where women played a vital role but are always victims of violence.

Source: Field pictures taken by me

Conclusion
GBV is an ideological battle which must be conquered by all. Fighting for women’s rights is not a day job. You fight as a mother at your workplace just because you are a mother, fight at home because you are seen as not submissive, and fight within the community you lived in because of norms society expected of you and you cannot yield to it. As a woman or a girl, you face all the bruises of patriarchy as you are asked to drop out of school because of your gender. When women have access to little income, they manages the homes freely, and the impact is felt by all. When women are supported, they grow constantly, when hurt, everything crashes. We need more women in leadership. Together our inputs are more stronger and impactful✌️✌️✌️