ADNews-Dakar: During the week, Rita Jlogbe and Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon members of Ramapsen Liberia attended a weeklong Gender Forum in Dakar, Senegal aimed at eradicating violence against women and girls across Africa.
The event which ran from the 4th to the 6th of December, was organized by the African Media Network for the Promotion of Health and Environment, known by its French acronym REMAPSEN.
Supported by UN Women and the French Muskoka Funds the event brings together over 50 journalists from West and Central Africa and Madagascar, under the theme: Respecting Women’s Rights and Empowering Women as part of commemorating the 16 Days of Activism.
During the event, these media professionals committed to reporting on the health and environmental sectors of their respective countries.
In his opening remarks, REMAPSEN President Youssouf Bamba emphasized the media’s vital role in empowering women and vulnerable populations.
He pledged REMAPSEN’s commitment to increasing efforts to combat violence against women and girls, highlighting the media’s capacity to educate and influence public opinion to drive meaningful change.
Bamba described the presence of notable figures, including Senegal’s Minister of Family and Solidarity as a show of Senegal’s commitment to advancing women’s rights.
For her part, the Minister of Family and Solidarity, through her representative, described the media as key stakeholders capable of addressing inequalities and called for enhanced policies and programs to tackle the challenges faced by African women.
“Media plays a vital role in highlighting the issues we need to address in order to create policies and programs that foster a safe environment for all.”
The Minister stressed that sustainable development in Africa cannot occur without effectively eradicating violence against women.
Also speaking, Mireille Kamitatu, Deputy Regional Director of UN Women (WCARO), echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for collaboration among the private sector, media, and UN agencies to end violence against women. She pointed out the alarming rise in such incidents across the continent, advocating for increased investment, innovative solutions, and a strong political commitment from all stakeholders, particularly the media.
Madame Kamitatu shared a troubling statistic from a UN Women report indicating that a woman is killed by an intimate partner or close family member every 10 minutes, highlighting the urgent need for unified action and strategic communication from the media to address this crisis.
The forum, titled “Media Forum on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls in Africa: Respecting Women’s Rights and Empowering Women,”
This activity represents a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to promote women’s rights and combat gender-based violence in Africa, as part of the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, which takes place from November 25 to December 10 every year.
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