NW and SW regions:

Gender-based Violence preoccupy local NGO, EU
By Nwo- Fuanya in Limbe
The European Union Mission in Cameroon in partnership with a Limbe-based NGO, the Luther King Memorial Foundation, LUKMEF have launched a project worth 231,000 euros (circa 152 million fcfa) to eradicate gender-based violence in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon. The EU Mission in Cameroon will provide 180,000 euros (FCFA 118 million) while LUKMEF completes the rest of the budget for the project that targets 30 village communities (15 each from NW and SW regions.)
    Launching the project at the Buea University Campus, Tanyi Christian, CEO of LUKMEF, said the project capitalizes on the fact that violence against women takes place in families and communities, and that if these communities gain awareness and engage actively in the fight against gender-based violence, a lasting solution will be given to the problem.
    Tanyi explained that the project will be in four phases: prevention, mitigation, litigation and establishment of a policy to guarantee long term sustainability of the gains of the project by bringing together all 30 communities under a common platform called Zero Tolerance Platform.
    Using himself to explain the concept of the project he said “my interest is based on the truth of conscience and the fact that my mother is a woman; on the fact that my wife whom I love so much is a woman; on the fact that my two little daughters are girls and women, so my whole life, like that of all men turns around women- Women are the reason for our being and will always be avoidably so.”

    This first phase of the project is expected to last for 24 months. It will be followed by a second phase which will target traditional leaders and encourage them to embrace the prevention of gender-based violence in their communities. It will also reward Traditional Leaders who have incorporated gender-balance in their village development agenda.
    On the sidelines of the launching was a two-day workshop organized by LUKMEF to train community leaders on the use of community manuals on violence prevention. Participants at the workshop took time to study the manual and direct questions to facilitators who gave ready and satisfactory answers.
    Some participants who spoke to The Median hailed LUKMEF and its partners for the initiative.
    Speaking at the launching ceremony, the representative of the Governor hailed LUKMEF for the wonderful project but emphasized that gender-based violence does not only occur on women.
“Men equally face gender-based violence though they may prefer to keep it to themselves for varied reasons,” he said.
    The Vice-Chancellor of UB was represented by the Deputy VC in charge of corporation.
    The Director of the Kumba Higher Technical Teacher’s Training Centre, Prof Joyce Endeley, a vocal gender activist, also made meaningful contributions on the subject.