By Doh James Sonkey
The Resident Representative of the United Nations entity for the empowerment of women known as UN Women, Cameroonian born Jennet Kem, is drumming 16 days of activism against gender-based violence in Rwanda and beyond. In a special message, she stressed that “towards 30 Years of the Beijing Declaration: A Call to End Violence Against Women in Rwanda and beyond.”
The UN Women Rwanda representative recalled that, “30 years ago, the Fourth World Conference on Women which brought together over 17,000 human rights activists, government officials, international civil servants and youth convened in Beijing, China in September 1995 for one of the largest multilateral events ever held. What sets this event apart is not just the grandiose number of delegates, but the resulting transformative blueprint that was adopted to shape global action on women`s rights, women’s empowerment, and gender equality for decades to come. This blueprint, known as the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, dedicated a full axis on ending violence against women and girls.”
Jennet Kem explained that, “the Beijing Platform for Action set a bold agenda for women’s rights and their empowerment on a basis of equality with men. Though progress is being made on the agreed 12 critical areas, as underscored in my Op-Ed during this time last year, significant challenges persist and continue to hinder the full eradication of VAWG.
“From domestic abuse to sexual violence, harassment in public, including online platforms and femicides, violence against women remains a deeply entrenched social issue that affects millions worldwide. Violence against women and girls remains widespread across private and public spaces, manifesting in various forms, including its most extreme expression—gender-related killings or femicide.”
She added that “overall and globally, an estimated 736 million women—nearly one in three—have experienced physical and/or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime, with most cases perpetrated by current or former intimate partners. Intimate partner violence alone affects over 640 million women aged 15 and older (26%). Such violence leads to severe consequences, including depression, anxiety, unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and long-lasting health and social impacts.”
Jennet Kem says this year’s theme, “towards 30 Years of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action: UNiTE to End Violence Against Women,” “re-ignites new energy and determination in me as the theme ‘UNiTE’ takes me back to my days as the Head of Secretariat that led the UN SG’s UNiTE Campaign to End Violence Against Women and Girls in Africa (2011 to 2015). The Campaign, an interagency, multi-stakeholder and multi-sectorial initiative, provided a unique platform for the UN to work. The 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence is not just a time to reflect. It is a time to act and keep acting. We must unite in our commitment to ending violence against women and girls. Together, we can build a future where every woman and girl in Cameroon, and across the world, can live in safety, dignity, and freedom. The time for change is now. Let’s continue to work towards a society where violence against women will be a thing of the past.’’