The document summarizes a gender equality event held at the University of Buea in Cameroon. Over 350 participants including university students, staff, and civil society members attended to discuss ensuring gender equality and safe education. There were presentations on gender issues and violence against women from representatives of the Ministry of Women's Empowerment, University of Buea's Women and Gender Studies department, and the UN. Participants asked questions and made recommendations including establishing women's spaces on campus and promoting gender education at all levels. The event included a gender fair exhibition with various organizations. The overall aim was to promote gender equality, end violence against women, and create safe, inclusive education.

1. « 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE »
Theme: “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Make Education Safe for All!”
INTERACTIVE GENDER ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION ON “ENSURING GENDER
EQUALITY, MAKING EDUCATION SAFE FOR ALL”
University of Buea
EVENT REPORT
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This event was made possible thanks to the generous
support from the People of Japan through the United
Nations System in Cameroon (UN Women Cameroon)

2. December 4, 2015 - Over 350 university students, including the Vice Chancellor of the University
of Buea, academicians, civil society participants, youth leaders, women’s rights activists, U.N
Cameroon staff and other great minds took actions this day to orange the campus of University of
Buea, saying No to Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWg) in and out of Campus, as well as
committing to ensure gender equality and education safe for all!
1. INTRODUCTION: Orange the world to end violence against women
This year, in line with the 16
days of action to end
violence against women and
girls around the world, the
United Nations system in
Cameroon through U.N
Women Cameroon and in
collaboration with the
Ministry of Women’s and the
Family (Minproff) and
National CSOs held series of
activities across the country.
It was in this light that on
December 4th, the UN
System and Women for a
Change, Cameroon (Wfac)
in partnership with the
University of Buea held a
Gender Fair/ Exhibition and
an Interactive Discussion on
the theme: “Ensuring Gender
Equality, Making Education
Safe for All”.
The purpose of this event was to;
• Dialogue, and build collaboration and alliances with student to fight against violence against
women and girls in Cameroon, especially in and out of school milieus.
• Increase student awareness and encourage them to stand as agents for gender justice and
empowerment of women and girls in the country.
• create space for networking, sharing learning and increase the visibility of U.N Programmes in
Cameroon especially around addressing gender based violence (GBV); likewise to enable
community-based and women’s rights organisations exhibit their work, while engaging the
student community in an attempt to exchange ideas and discuss issues that are relevant to the
development and empowerment of women and girls, and making education safe for all.
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3. 2. OPENING CEREMONY
2.1 - Word from the Coordinator of the United Nations Gender Thematic Group Julie Mballa
Julie Mballa informed all persons present
at the event, the U.N’s devoutness in
addressing Violence against women and
girls (VAWg).
“addressing VAWg is essential to the
U.N system mandate in Cameroon”, she
says, “This is coordinated by the U.N
Women and projects like Gender Cafe,
He4She amongst others are platforms for
us to continue that networking and
conversation we are starting today to
make Cameroon free from GBV”.
Furthermore she said, “The UN system
in Cameroon supports the state in developing and designing gender sensitive laws / policies at both
national and local levels. The U.N system also mobilises and partners with grassroots organisations
and National CSOs/NGOs to effect change in the country”.
In this regards, she adds: “We call upon you all to work under the banner color orange chosen to
symbolises the brighter future free from any forms of VAWg. We choose to orange the street of
Buea, and orange our minds by this interactive talk with the hope that through this, we shall all
share ideas and discuss on how to improve on the lives of women and girls in our communities and
make gender equality a live reality in Cameroon!”
2.2 - Word from the Vice Chancellor of the University of Buea (UB) Professor Nalova Lyonga
Opening the Interactive discussion at UB
Amphi theatre 250, was the powerful
remarks by the Vice Chancellor, Professor
Nalova Lyonga, on womanhood as a strong
pillar for any great society.
Professor Nalova Lygonga told all present a
folktale on the Bakweri ethnic group and
how most ancient African societies have
similar stories, one which recognises
womanhood and women’s potential.
“Something was happening in the african
continent that gave recognition to women
which we have forgotten all together”, she
says: “ From my own oral tradition, there is a
character in the folktale which is called the
“Mother of Knowledge” - a fierce warrior who rescued and freed an entire clan by organising the
people to defeat the so feared elephant that no one could call it by its name but referred to it as that
big thing. This elephant had killed people, deprived them from their freedom.
After its defeat, it came out that the woman (Mother of Knowledge) was the one that established the
founding of human beings. In order words that the woman is the base of human creations”.
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4. Prof. Nalova further called on all to embrace individual unique diversity. “We must recognise
diversity and differences” she says; “equality and equity are mutually included and cannot be
discussed in separate theme”. In order words, she adds: “the two sexes must have access to all the
things that are available to humanity. They must have equal equal opportunities”.
3. PANEL DISCUSSION on the theme: “Ensuring Gender Equality, Making Education Safe
for ALL!”
Each of the three panelists share their perspective around “ensuring gender equality, could make
education safe for all”. Furthermore, each panelist was expected to explained how their respective
agencies and or institution are working to ensuring that education is safe for all.
Panelist 1: Regional Delegate of the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family
(MINPROFF) Madam Moffat Judith explained how the South West Regional delegation of the
Ministry of Women’s Empowerment
and the Family is promoting
education and the empowerment of
women and girls through the
women’s centres and other creative
programs.
The delegate highlighted on the fact
that this year’s 16 days campaign
against VAWg comes at a very
crucial moment when world leaders
are all taking commitment to say no
to VAWg, through the recently
adopted post-2015 sustainable
development agenda.
In addition, she also talked about the
different forms of violence and how
often people always think that
VAWg is just physical violence
whereas there are many different
types such as sexual harassment,
Child, Early and Forced Marriages,
unplanned child bearing, breast
ironing, abandonment of pregnant women, voluntary transmission of HIV/AIDs, exploitation and
the sexualisation of women and girls bodies in showBiz, widow rights abuse and among a lot of
others.
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5. Panelist 2: Head of Department, Women and Gender Studies, (WGS) University of Buea Dr.
Abonge Christine talked about the links between gender equality and (safe) education, as well as
how the University of Buea, (through the department of WGS) promotes gender equality and safe
education
Dr. Abonge further explained
that;
The university of Buea is the first
institution of higher education to
host the department of women and
gender studies (WGS) and the
mission of the department, which
is also related to the overall
mission of the university is in part
to carry out research and the
training/development of human
capacity.
The University of Buea (UB)
being the first University in
Cameroon to house a department
of Women and Gender Studies is
committed to promoting gender
equality by assisting the country to train and provide the capacity and institutional framework for
the effective mainstreaming of gender in development policies, programmes and projects across all
sectors. As a university that is gender aware and promotes the politics of equality and inclusiveness
To address the problem of harassment on campus, the University has created an equal opportunity
units, including sexual harassment units within different establishments of the university where staff
and students can lodge complains related to sexual harassment in confidence. This goes a long way
to ensure a campus free of harassment and one that is safe for teaching and learning. This
notwithstanding, the sexual harassment units have one major challenge; the difficulty of victims,
especially female students to provide evidence of sexual harassment. Given the absence of evidence
and the difficulty proving harassment, the investigation, follow up and treatment of reported cases
of harassment are rendered futile
In conclusion, she pointed out some main concern, drawing the attention of the university authority
to; the inadequacy of facilities/services addressing the sex specific needs of students on campus.
There are insufficient toilet facilities on campus and this affects female students disproportionately
given their sex specific needs.
“We therefore call on the university authority to increase the availability of clean toilets to all
students on campus including female bathrooms to meet the sex specific needs of female students.
This will enhance and ensure a safe and more conducive learning environment for all particularly
for female students.”
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6. Panelist 3: U.N Gender Thematic Group, Coordinator, Julie Mballa introduced participants to the
different interventions of the UN system in Cameroon and how through the gender thematic group
(UN GTG) through the various UN system continues to support the state of Cameroon, as well as
other grassroots and community based organisations with tools to enabling them advance gender
sensitive programs and policies, including educational program and a gender-responsive budgeting.
She also made highlights around the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), how
this is an interest for the UN especially around the empowerment of women and girls are a major
targets.
4. SOME OF THE QUESTIONS FROM PARTICIPANTS
• How has the laws, sanctions or court rulings on perpetrators of VAWg been measured? In order
words, What strategies have been put in place by MINPROFF to measure the impact of these
sanctions on perpetrators of VAWg?
• What has the UN system in Cameroon done concerning religious extremism that uses religion as
a tool to commit acts of violence against women and girls?
• Much talk on gender equality minimises women and girls with disability. How is the University
of Buea ensuring that the university is inclusive and safe for all?
• Most VAWg cases reported, especially among intimate partners’ relationships end up very bad.
What is the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment doing to ensure the safety and security of these
victims of VAWg?
• Campus police is all men and are very gender insensitive. What is the University doing to ensure
there are female campus police to check female students and or visitors?
• The society puts so much emphasis on women getting married. And so long as this is accepted,
women and girls will continue be enslaved and experience violence. How can this be deconstruct
and interrogated?
• What is the UN doing to bring gender cafe and or discussions at basic education level?
• There is an International day for Women. What about Cameroon having a National day?
5. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION POINTS. These are the few key actions and or
resolutions adopted from the gender discussion.
• Establish a women’s “corner” stocked with free sanitary pads, tampons and or women’s essential
needs/kits to make women and girls on campus feel more comfort.
• Explore annual and cultural Festivals to advance gender education and awareness raising
• Gender education from basic to tertiary education is paramount in reducing VAWg
• Education is fundamental and a human rights and must be encouraged and promoted by ALL.
• Engage young people, especially boys and men as alliance and champions for gender justice
• Let’s all be champion for gender justice and equality for all.
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7. 6. Gender Fair / Exhibition
The Gender Fair was attended by some 500 persons including several press members reporting live
on web, radios TV. Exhibitors at the Fair included, UN GTG, UNCMR4U, Reach Out
Cameroon, Nkong Hill Top, Women for a Change Cameroon (Wfac), Better Bread Cameroon,
Rural Women Development Centre, Cameroon Youth Baptist Convention, CHAMEG.
***GALLERY **
(For more - visit www.wfaccameroon.org or contact wfacbuea@ymail.com Follow us on Twitter
@Wfaccmr. Like us on Facebook Wfac Cameroon)
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