140 GENDARMES STRENGTHEN THEIR TECHNICAL CAPACITIES ON THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN HUMANITARIAN CONFLICT SITUATIONS
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From 21 to 23 November 2019, in Yaoundé, and from the 28 to 30 November 2019 in Bafoussam, UN Women strengthened capacities of 130 gendarmes on strategies for the protection of women and girls in humanitarian contexts. The objective of these two sessions, part of the project "Improving the protection of women and girls affected by the conflict in the south west and North West region of Cameroon", implemented with the support of the Italy Cooperation, is to provide a holistic response to the prevention and management of cases of gender-based violence in these two regions.
According to Hind JALAL, Deputy Representative of UN Women, this project, supported by the Italian Cooperation in Cameroon, focuses mainly on three components: access to services and quality for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), community awareness on GBV/HIV issues, the rights of women and girls in conflict and humanitarian crisis situations, and support for the economic rehabilitation of survivors and other vulnerable groups.
Colonel MINABOU Aboubakar highlighted that with this additional experience in the very sensitive area of respect women's rights in times of crisis, the gendarmerie will be able to meet the challenge and position itself in the near future at the forefront of the promotion and protection of women's rights, particularly in times of distress.
During the training, participants acquired skills on general and environmental knowledge of the protection of women and children during the humanitarian crisis, legal and institutional knowledge, technical and professional defense forces in the protection of women and children during the humanitarian crisis. At the end of the trainings, the participants expressed their satisfaction with the new skills acquired.
According to Captain EYONG ONANA Honorine, Head of the Codification Office of the Secretary of State for Defense in charge of the National Gendarmerie, "the training was very enriching for gendarmerie personnel who can become aware of the impact of violence against vulnerable persons and especially the appropriate tools to deal with these scourges that we experience every day in the exercise of our duties.
As part of the response to the various crises in Cameroon, UN Women has already created eight women's cohesion spaces in refugee camps and host communities that serve as safe havens and provide integrated services to refugees, internally displaced persons, former Boko Haram hostages and vulnerable women in host communities.
