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LUKMEF TELLS COMMUNITY LEADERS TO SPEAK UP GBV AND UPHOLD HUMAN RIGHTS

 BY MILDRED NDUM WUNG KUM

 Gender Based Violence GBV, is becoming a popular word, however the wave of violence against gender is still a concern especially in communities in Cameroon. Females are mostly the victims of such violence. 

 The situation is even higher because the Cameroon Anglophone crisis has exposed a proportion of women and girls fleeing conflicts to experience the hell of GBV. LUKMEF in a ceremony on December 10th 2019 said community leaders must speak up against GBV and human rights should be observed for a harmonious living together. These were part of activities to round off the sixteen days of activism against GBV and to observe the International Day of Human Rights in Bamenda, Cameroon.
The Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Foundation (LUKMEF) is an NGO with a branch in Bamenda, committed to helping victims of the Anglophone crisis by helping the displaced the abandoned, the abused and the violated. 

 “I encourage the community to report any case of violence to LUKMEF, no negotiaton with the perpetrator, see something say something. GBV is a very critical aspect that must be addressed in our communities and most especially, the youths are the most targeted people. The young adolescents are involved in illegal activities that lead to certain activities which expose them to violence so we are hoping that through this GBV sensitization campaign, everything should be arrested” Project Coordinator of LUKMEF Northwest region, Unussa Haruna said while addressing community leaders at the wrap up ceremony.


Project Coordinator Unussa Harunu

                                         
               Youth and Community leaders being sensitized

The painful stories were told at length, a ten year old girl was raped by her father at the Up Station neighbourhood Bamenda..., a man raped an eight year old, seven girls recently reported to LUKMEF that they have been raped, eighteen other women reported that they were battered, many other pregnant girls reported that they have been abandoned, etc
They are victims of physical, psychological, economic and sexual violence. Most cases of violation against females happen because girls and women are not given the chance to be empowered in the social sector.

Participants at the session were told that, to combat the situation, there is need for sensitization and communication about GBV. There is also the need to put males and females on a common ground; give them equal opportunities to education, expression and profession. This would empower the female thereby going a long way to combat violence.
According to officials of LUKMEF, they have been engaged in the fight against violence as well as sensitization about human rights.

The beneficiaries of LUKMEF include 3000 people in Azire, 1000 people in mile five Nkwen, 2500 in Konene and 2800 in Bua Bua. The communities are in and around Bamenda where many young girls and women are displaced within the context of the Anglophone crisis.

They also disclosed that they have a rehabilitation center to empower survivors of violence.
LUKMEF is located at Fon’s street Bamenda, Second Floor of the  Awing Credit Union Building.


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