MY EXPERIENCE AT THE AFRICAN-REGIONAL TRAINING FOR YOUTH SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS ADVOCATES

On 18^th -21^st of February 2013, I was privileged to be part of the Twenty two Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) Youth Advocates to attend the Youth Coalition ICPD SRHR training which took place in Nairobi, Kenya.

 The training program which aimed at enhancing advocates knowledge and expertise on the ICPD and MDG review processes, and also finding best recommendations and strategies to calling on stakeholders to push for SRHR issues inclusion in the post 2015 development framework.

During the entire training, many things were taught and recapped, as well as making us understand what really advocacy was all about.  

Parts of our strategic thinking explored the MDGs targets and indicators, finding out its relevance to the local context especially on women, adolescents, and youth SRHR. These and many exercises and exposées were done to make us understand how our thoughts, activities and opinions sometimes influence SRR/SRHR promotion within our society. 

Some of the trivial and striking issues were the one minute message which focused on designing simple messages that speak for itself - for this to be possible,  the statement must be simple, evidence-based, clear example (s), and an action.  Another important issue was the debate on family planning where participants were exposed to the challenges and terminology often used  to criticize family planning advocacy. 

However, above all, what really touched me most was the word COMPREHENSION and I noticed that in every activity, expression and discussion we need to apply a comprehensive approach.  

Living in a society where sexuality is still private,  and taboo discussion,  my take home word “comprehensive”  has helped me a lot, first as a SRHR communicator as well as an ardent member of Women for A Change Cameroon (WFAC) working for the promotion of women sexual rights, leadership development. Another take home message is the one minute advocacy message to get out my advocacy message clear and simple.

This Article is written by Ms. Lum Flora Patience, a staff at Women For A Change Cameroon (WFAC) - a young women humanrights organisation with focus on sexual rights, leadership development and GBV advocacy

Related Links

Watch WFAC Founder's Video on YC here

Read WFAC Founder's Article on  ABORTION  as well asYC SRHR Nairobi Meeting here

'LIKE'  Women For A Change Cameroon (WFAC)  Facebook Page

Campus should focus on safety, not students’ dress

This article originally appeared on World Pulse, 
an action media network powered by women from 185 countries. 

The ruling patriarchy is once more at work at the University of Buea (UB).

Recently, the Director of Student Affairs; Dr Ludwig Metuge made a public announcement blaming the prevalence of sexual violence on campus on the ‘indecent’ dressing of women. 

A majority of female students have experienced one or two forms of sexual abuse from male academic staff on campus, said Mr Che Eugene, a guidance counselor for the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, in an interview.  These assaults often happen in the office and in lecture halls, when students are requesting make-up tests or extra lectures, submission of overdue assignments, and making other pleas to male academic staff. Mr Che said. .

And as long as these female students continue to dress suggestively, exposing certain body parts like the breast, legs, and shoulder- sexual violence is likely to be prevalent on campus, Mr. Che added.

So, in an effort towards preventing such crime on campus, the university authorities have implemented a stringent dressing code. Campus security men are given the ultimate power to send away so-called ‘indecently’ dressed students.  In Dec 2011, this led to over 50 female students bullied out of campus. One of the security guard who sought anonymity said to me.

“Nov 25^th, 9 am, on my way to class, I was stopped by the security guards and chase out of campus saying- my dress were indecent. Just because I wore a slim jean and a T-shirt” Mary, a second year student recalled her sad experienced.

UB fails to recognize that sexual violence remains a major security threat to humankind, particularly women. As well as, it is still one of the most widely unreported crimes, according to Amnesty International 2004 Publication on “Making Violence Against Women Counts”.

Even so, the fact is sexual violence can happen at any time-during armed conflicts and riots and even in nations with socio-economic and political stability.

A WHO Multi-Country Survey study on women’s health and domestic violence against women in 2011 stated that 70% of women between the age; 15 to 49 years in Ethiopia and Peru, reported being victims of sexual violence by an intimate partner.

all wears are sexy.UB should focus on safety and not students' dress

Moreover, UB should understand that each dress has a unique beauty. This makes it sexy. Whether it is a long robe, nightwear, or shorts. These clothes are simply to ensure that their clients derive maximum satisfaction and contentment.

 Ironically, University of Buea is conceived in the English-speaking tradition governing the fundamental rights of freedom of speech. Founded on moral and intellectual principles, and within the Central African region, it is accredited for excellence. So, instead of UB to continue wasting time and resources blaming student dressing, the university should focus on creating real solutions to stop this security threat whose actions have implications for the campus’ reputation, both locally and globally.

Contrary to UB, at least one ruling patriarch condemns the university’s claim and describes it as being a “flimsy excuse based on selfish motif”. “UB should respect individual rights, their dignity and choices”, said Mr. Nzume Mathias, chief of service for the Family Wellbeing at MINWEF- South West Region, Cameroon.

So, campus authorities should spend valuable moments thinking on how to address the issue of security, identify perpetrators of sexual violence, and provide justice to victims.  This could be accomplished by creating an independent sector on campus that works to prevent sexual violence. The Discrimination and Harassment Office (DISCHO) -University of Cape Town in South Africa is a good model. But if a special committee already exists, UB should make it public to all.

In addition, it demands that UB adopt a sexual harassment policy purposefully addressing issues of sexual violence on campus. The policy should also be made clear in the student guides, public and accessible to all, including heads of academic departments and faculty members, campus clubs and associations, academic staff and student

  

The classical ruling patriarchs’ ideologies—in this case, that the victims are to blame for sexual violence--must not prevail. Students’ deserve to have an educational environment where they feel safe and have the freedom to express themselves in what they wear.