Five reasons why women’s involvement in the Cameroon peace dialogue is fundamental

  1. Women constitute more than half of the Cameroonian population: Their inclusion in peace talks is first and foremost a moral and practical obligation because disregarding the needs, priorities and interests of more than half of the population is untenable and invalidates the ensuing agreement. Legally, it is the fundamental right of women enshrined in the UDHRs, and restated in UNSCR 1325, AU Aspiration 2063 and many other international and regional instruments and commitments that Cameroon has signed and /or taken.
  2. Women’s connections and code of behaviour in Cameroon is culturally common: All women even those who have suffered the worst atrocities during the crisis want peace, justice, social modifications and others, not only for themselves but for society at large. Again, women are central to care giving in families in the Cameroonians culture. This gives them mastery of the pulse of the community, a centrality to communal life which makes their inclusion in peacebuilding essential because In their role as caregivers they are highly invested in preventing, ending, and recovering from conflict, as they are motivated to protect their children and ensure security for their families, not by personal gain.
  3.  women have different experiences of violence and peace and can bring exceptional perceptions to the peacebuilding process: They are directly and deliberately targeted, their bodies are used as war tactics through rape, forced impregnation, sexual torture etc. such experiences cannot be overlooked in any valid dialogue.
  4. Women are known as peace drivers and educators both in their families and society: They can bring unique insights to the table and bridge the divide through empathy and dialogue. Though not innate in every woman, this selflessness has been demonstrated in many historical peace processes.
  5. The crisis has compounded the responsibilities of women and exposed them to untold deprivation and hardship: women have gained solid awareness of their needs, as well as that of their families and communities at large. They alone can speak for themselves.

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PaWED PaWED

Organisation Profile 1. NAME OF ORGANISATION: Pathways for Women’s Empowerment and Development and it Integrated Agricultural Training Center (PaWED/IATC) 2. DATE OF FORMATION: 24/02/2015 3. HEAD OFFICE ADDRESS: P O Box 12414 Yaoundé Center. House no. 468, street no. 8556 Mendong. Telephone: +237677758345 Email: pawedmailing@gmail.com 4. LEGAL STATUS: PaWED is a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) based in Cameroon and registered by virtue of prefectural order N0: 00000030/ARDA/JO6/A2/ALPAS/APPB of January 16, 2018; as stipulated in Article 7 of law No 90/053 of 19 December 1990 relating to freedom of association, as amended by law No 99/011 of 20 July 1999. While IATC is registered as a Common Initiative Group (CIG), No: CE/GP/042/13/33374, of 24/06/2013 and located at Ndong Village in the Mefou Afamba Division of the Center Region. PaWED is a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) based in Cameroon The geographical coverage of PaWED is national with main offices in Yaoundé, Mfoundi Division of the Center Region; and, Akum, in the Santa-Subdivision of Mezam Division in the North West Region. IATC is the women economic empowerment training center of PaWED which practically establishes and builds women’s capacity in poultry farming and other integrated Agricultural techniques. 5. VISION AND MISSION Vision: PaWED envisages a joint effort by all stakeholders for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls. Mission: The mission of PaWED is to ensure a gender just society in which men and women enjoy equity, contribute and benefit as equal partners in the development of the country and the world. 6. OBJECTIVES  To analyse the root causes of gender inequality, VAW, GBV, poverty, diseases, hunger, conflict, post war traumatic stress disorder, education parity and climate change;  To evaluate how the above issues and others affect the mental, social, political and economic wellbeing of women and girls and obstruct the implementation of the SDGS;  To advocate for gender equality and lobby for accelerated institutional change with gender mainstreaming at the core;  To employ all stakeholders to actively participate in the crusade to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls; and,  To educate and train stakeholders to prevent and respond to cases of GBV and inequality. 7. STRATEGIES  Researching and reporting on the gender situation in the country and the world.  Enhancing stakeholder’s capacities and knowledge through workshops, leadership trainings, educative talks and seminars around gender theories, women human rights principles and cross -cutting issues.  Partnering and networking with Government, United Nations Systems and other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to implement gender and development projects.  Lobbying with government for accelerated institutional change and enactment of gender responsive laws.  Fundraising to Mobilize resources for proper execution of the objectives of PaWED. 8. BENEFICIARIES Although the entire community is the ultimate beneficiary of PaWED’s programs and activities, our major thrust is on the welbeing of vulnerable, underprivileged and marginalized women and girls. PaWED works with communities both at field level and capacity building of organisations working for the betterment of our target groups. However, Programs such as engagement of youth during holidays offered to keep youth busy and active during holiday, participate in their own back to school preparation and spare them from recruitment from violent extremism and other societal ills like drugs manipulation are designed to benefit the larger community. 9. PRIORITY AREAS OF INTERVENTION  Women economic empowerment, gender and development  Conflict management at institutional, policy and community level  Child protection, education and development  Training for human resource development in integrated agricultural techniques and others  Research and consultancy  Advocacy and policy lobby  Livelihoods and food security  Peace, conflict resolution and gender  Project management 10. PROJECTS/PROGRAMS Name of program Major program focus Geographical coverage funder Integrating Subsistence and Commercial Farming for the Economic mpowerment of Rural Women -Bringing rural women together into 165 self-help groups (SHG) -Assess the assets and needs of such SHG -Together with the women devise projects which can enhance their well-being and economic empowerment using their existing assets -Propose new farming mechanisms to boast their productivity, eliminate poverty and fight hunger -Debate on the advantages and disadvantages of such projects a -Make recommendations to donors for training and funding “YAMBA women Solidarity Group” of Ntui Sub Division of the Mbam and Kim Division Center Region Cameroon PaWED/IATC Engaging youth during holidays to keep them busy and spare them from recruitment into societal ills -Train youth on poultry farming techniques during holidays -Build awareness on societal ills like, pedophilia, child marriage, drug manipulation, child trafficking and recruitment in to violent extremism -Support them with 10 chickens each to help prepare for their back to school -prioritize Internally Displaced Yaoundé and environs PaWED/IATC Operation bounce back of vulnerable and underprivileged women and girls -Train such women in poultry farming and commercialization -encourage and support them to eliminate middlemen between them and the poultry farm to increase their profit margin -accompany them to the poultry farm between 4 and 6a.m. to personal buy their stock Retailers in markets in Yaoundé PaWED/IATC Advocacy and lobbying for peace to resolve the ongoing Anglophone crisis with the effective participation of women as a critical majority - lamentation campaigns -Organisation of press conference -meeting and discussing with key stakeholders -Engaging in social media campaigns -organizing workshops with youth and women on their role in conflict resolution and peace building -Bamenda -Buea -Yaoundé -UNDP Cameroon -Friedrich Hebert Stiftung Foundation Cameroon -Southwest North West Women’s Task Force (SNWOT) - PaWED/IATC Policy analysis and recommendation Analysing UNSCR 1325 first Nation Action Plan (NAP) to bring out loopholes and make recommendations for effective implementation and enactment of high impact NAP in the future. PaWED/IATC 11. MEMBERSHIP These organisations are primarily women led. However, in other to undermine patriarchy, social constructs, gender stereotypes and cultural barriers, we involve men known for their prowess in championing gender equality as our HeForShe ambassadors. NO NAME SEX POSITION 1 Nicoline Nwenushi Tumasang Wazeh Female Founder and CEO 2 Feigni Victorine Female Secretary 3 Tumasang Judith Lum Female Assist. Secretary 4 Oscaline Mangwi Ndifor Chi Female mobiliser 5 Aku Ndifor Emmaculate Epuli Female Financial Secretary 6 Aite Judith Njong Female Assist. Financial Secretary 7 Shura Victorine Female Treasurer 8 Zuhmbushi Eric Nsuh Male Compliance adviser 9 Tantoh Charles Chebo Male Legal adviser 10 Joseph Azibo Tijie Male Cultural adviser 11 Wazeh Stephen Atanga Male Technical adviser 12. FINANCIAL PARTNERS  Afriland First Bank (First Bank) Yaoundé Cameroon Account Name: Integrated Agricultural Training Center (IATC) Account number: 0615670100111 SWIFT Code: CCEICMCX Bank Code: 1000 IBAN: CM21 10005 00026 06156701001-11  Agence de Crédit pour L’Entreprise Privée (ACEP) B P 14614 Yaoundé Cameroon Account Name: Nicoline Nwenushi Tumasang Epse Wazeh Account number:2205442701 13. Name, Designation and contact details of CEO for further communication: Nicoline Nwenushi Tumasang Epse Wazeh Founder and CEO PaWED/IATC P O Box 12414 Yaoundé Center House no. 468, street no. 8556 Mendong. Telephone: +237677758345 Email: pawedmailing@gmail.com wazehwanic@yahoo.co.uk

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