Violence Against Women and Girls In the Era of HIV and AIDS

This presentation from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) was prepared for the 'Workshop on Fight against HIV/AIDS and Corruption among Youths' in Yaounde, Cameroon, February 8 2013. It presents global and local statistical information on HIV prevalence and describes the situation for youth in Cameroon regarding gender based violence (GBV) (Violences basées sur le genre - VBG).

A chart on page 21 shows how violence exposes its victims to HIV/AIDS. It includes factors such as: the power imbalance between the genders; rape; cultural practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM), polygamy, child marriages, and widow inheritance; domestic violence; and female sex work. The document describes national action including campaigning for breaking the silence on GBV. The campaign to break the silence and promote social change includes:

• 16 days of activism to stop violence against women and girls;
• National campaign to fight against child trafficking and sexual exploitation;
• Campaign to stop FGM;
• Awareness campaign and mapping of risks and vulnerabilities leading to HIV/AIDS to identify socio-cultural factors;
• Campaigns promoting abstinence and use of condoms.

Services available to victims and at-risk groups include:

• Work in schools with young people to prevent rape;
• Mobile clinics for screening of sex workers in major cities promoting the use of condom and providing diagnostic services and early and appropriate medical care;
• Training on life skills for young people; and
• Promotion of HIV education for young people in schools, including HIV tests in and out of school.

Actions include:

• Working with women in women's groups on the protection of women and infants.
• Teaching in schools about sexual abuse.
• Prevention campaigning to fight against trafficking and sexual exploitation, including working with potential perpetrators such as motorcycle taxi drivers.
• Working with teachers of Koranic schools.

The document concludes with action steps in case of violence, among other recommendations:

• Report incidents of GBV at a hospital;
• Report rapists;
• Complain to the commissioner; and
• Report the cases to social services, for example, RENATA (Réseau National des Associations de Tantines) or a legal clinic.