Cameroon: North West – UNIFEM – CHRAPA Join Hands to Fight Violence
Bamenda — The United Nations Development Fund for women (UNIFEM) and the Bamenda -based Center for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy (CHRAPA) are believers that violence against women still trives and must be combated by more collegial and strategic efforts.That was topical on March 2nd , 2007 when UNIFEM and CHRAPA launched a Trust Fund to end violence against women in Cameroon with UNIFEM’s Dede Ekoue urging CHRAPA to dedicate whole time efforts towards the success of the project. The Representative of the UN Resident Coordinator said at the event in Bamenda that violence against women cause untold misery, harms families across generations and impoverishes communities. Against this backdrop, the U.N established a Trust Fund in 1996 as a unique multi-lateral mechanism to eliminate such violence.
CHRAPA thus became the winner of the fund this time around in Cameroon as a partner to advocate for appropriate laws and to support the use of existing laws and community structures to fight violence against women. Dede Ekoue hailed the Cameroon government for providing a favourable environment for stakeholders to engage in the fight to eliminate the social flaw which is also a crime against women. It was also a rare moment for the Permanent secretary in the governor’s office, Peter Tieh Nde to question why some men take pleasure in straining women who give us all the happiness at the best and worse moments of our very existence. He challenged Cameroonians to ensure that the era of violence against women is history while the Executive Director of CHRAPA, Chongsi Joseph saluted the partnership between his organisation and UNIFEM. He regretted that the concept of human rights is still perceived by some as a western and elitist affair. Chongsi blamed violence against women on cultural practices, illiteracy and some aspects of legislation which discriminate against women. He appealed for proper legislation to redress the situation. CHRAPA’s solution hangs on a human rights-based approach to combating violence against women in Cameroon. Around to cheer the launching of the Trust Fund included Jenet Kem, UNIFEM Programs officer and the U.N Information Officer for Cameroon, Anne Nsang. The event dropped curtains on a three day workshop on capacity building for some 35 women group leaders on human rights-based approach to combating violence against women in Cameroon with participants assembled from the West, South West, Littoral, North West and Centre provinces.
