Violence against women high despite campaigns

Despite awareness campaigns to banish these brutalities of the country, the evil remains. According to statistics from the United Nations published in December 2013, on violence against women in Cameroon, 52% of them suffered violence, 53% of the violence since the age of 15 years, 30.56% physical violence, 53.79% victims of emotional abuse, 30.8% of sexual abuse, 54.54% psychological abuse, 50.24% of economic violence, 24% of teenagers have undergone breast ironing and 1.4% were victims of genital mutilation.

On the occasion of the celebration of the international day for the elimination of violence against women last Tuesday, the international community has placed a 16 days campaign of activism against violence against women on the theme: "peace at home for peace in the world: challenge the militarism and end-up with violence against women.

"The Minister for the advancement of women and the family, Marie Thérèse Abena Ondoa Obama (Minproff), recalled that a joint program of acceleration of the prevention of gender-based violence and holistic support of survivors in the worst affected areas has been developed for the 2014-2015 period. The goal is to create a socio-cultural environment enabling all women and all girls without discrimination to fully exercise their human and citizens rights.

"Violence against women, means any act directed against the female causing physical suffering, sexual or psychological, including threats of such acts, coercion or deprivation of liberty either in public or in private life", said the Minproff.

Their consequences can lead to disabilities, unwanted pregnancies, the breakup of families or termination of income-generating activities, or even death.