UN women launch Call Centre for gender violence victims

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, UN Women Cameroon, on December 2, launched a call centre for Victims of Gender-based Violence, GBV, in Douala.

This was within the framework of the sixth Gender Café and the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence week, organised by UN Women with theme: “The Use of Information and Communication Technologies in the Prevention of Gender-based Violence in Cameroon.”

Explaining the reason for the call centre, UN Women Cameroon Programme Officer, Joseph Ngoro, said victims of gender violence always need security, psychological and medical help which are readily not available in Cameroon. He revealed that the lack of coordination amongst actors in the prevention of Gender Based Violence in Cameroon has degraded the situation of victims.

“That is why UN Women, in collaboration with the Government of Cameroon, thought it wise to establish a toll-free line for victims to report cases of Gender-based Violence and rape, so that they can seek justice and psychosocial assistance,” he said.

He urged victims and witnesses to break the silence and react against Gender-based Violence in Cameroon by dialling 233 425 668, the call centre number. Ngoro specified that the centre will be based on listening, counselling, informing and orientating victims of Gender-based Violence.

Meanwhile, Jean Jacques Massima of the International Telecommunications Union, ITU, in Cameroon, called on the public to make good use of the call centre. He said when properly used, ICTs can access support from a community of peers, raise awareness of the violence faced by women and girls amongst their families and communities, use entertainment and social media forums, to monitor and evaluate interventions and measure their impact.

He explained that the centre will be used as a double-edged sword for women. “The center will change the ways in which women respond to violence since it will be a principal tool for denouncing perpetrators of Gender-based Violence.”

This month’s Gender Café is also aimed at informing relevant stakeholders on the importance of ICTs in ending GBV and rape in all strata of the society, encouraging the investment of the private sectors in promoting the fight against GBV through ICTs, increasing awareness on the high prevalence rate of GBV and rape in the Littoral Region, and the training of journalists on the importance of ICT in promoting the fight against GBV in Cameroon.