UN Women and State Secretary of Defense (SED) partnered to eliminate GBV and improve gender mainstreaming in peace and security operations in Cameroon.

Date: Wednesday, 12 December 2018

Newly trained gendarmerie officers proudly branding their attestations at the end of the 5 days training of trainers’ seminar organized from 26 to 30 November 2018. Photo credit: Joseph Lindjeck, HeForShe volunteer.

Over 30 trainers of the national gendarmerie core have been trained on gender mainstreaming in peace and security operations during a 3 days training of trainers’ workshop co-organized by UN Women, the Ministry of Women Empowerment and the Family (MINPROFF) and the Secretary of State in Charge of Defense (SED).

This training which is the first of its kind took place in the National Gendarmerie Training Center from 26 to 30 November 2018 and was organized in the context of the growing security challenges and internal displacements that the country is witnessing. These emerging challenges requires the forces of law and order to broaden their traditional role and integrate human rights and the specific gender challenges in their daily work and to effectively respond to gender-based violence.

Women officers attending the 5 days training of trainers’ seminar. Photo credit: Teclaire Same/UN Women.

This training was a unique opportunity for the 20 women and 12 men trainers to be edified on the national Action plan for Women, peace and security (NAP 1325). The NAP 1325 was elaborated by the government of Cameroon with the support of UN Women in November 2017 to promote the leadership and participation of women in conflict and post conflict response, peace building, social cohesion and the protection of women against sexual and gender-based violence in situations of armed conflict. The training also comprised sessions on the international and national legal framework for the protection of women's rights and the elimination of sexual and gender-based violence; the obligations of military and forces of law and order; Civil-military actions in the field of prevention and management of gender-based sexual violence.

At the end of the training, the 32 officers drawn from all 10 regions of the country were equipped with tools to prevent sexual and gender-based violence during peace and security operations. The trainees were also able to practically apply the skills and strategies acquired during a practical road safety exercise and are expected to duplicate these trainings in their respective duty stations using similar content and methodology.

Gendarmerie officer proudly receiving training attestation at the end of the seminar. Photo credit: Joseph Lindjeck, HeForShe volunteer.

Attestations of course completion were delivered at the end of the training. Joseph NGORO, UN Women Program specialist used this ceremony to renew the engagement of UN Women to collaborate and provide technical support to SED towards promoting gender mainstreaming in their interventions to maintain law and order. On his part the SED officials committed to put in place measures ensure that the knowledge gained is put into practice and duplicated in their respective duty stations. Another two-day session is scheduled in 2019, to finalize the tools and have complete training modules.