Transforming mindsets against toxic masculinities and building community-based champions for women’s SRHR In Cameroon
The path road to gender equality continues to be an uphill battle due to enduring obstacles like gender-based violence (GBV) and access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services and information, especially for disadvantaged groups. The aforementioned difficulties are made worse by cultural norms, religious beliefs, regulatory gaps, and restricted access to resources, hence emphasising the necessity of transformative activities. Through partnership with Reach Out Cameroon, Community Centre for Integrated Development (CCID) in Nguti and Muyuka is leading the innovative project in Nguti and Muyuka titled “Men Engaged: Transforming mindsets against toxic masculinities and building community-based champions for women’s SRHR in Cameroon,”
The objective of the project is to:
- Reduce the incidence or prevalence of Gender based violence in local communities.
- Increase male acceptance of women’s SRHR,
- Enhance knowledge, and foster community leaders’ acceptance of women’s SRHR while fostering rejection of GBV.
Through activities such as engaging community leaders in open community dialogues to address GBV, toxic masculinities, and SRHR, Door-to-Door Campaigns: Advocating for SRHR acceptance and GBV rejection at the grassroots level. Group sensitizations, conducting informative sessions on GBV, toxic masculinities, and SRHR to foster community-wide awareness. And lastly, GBV Survivor Support aimed to provide support to survivors through a survivors-centred approach by providing services like health services, economic empowerment, psychological assistance, and safety referrals.