General
Source: AllAfrica
Pro-Hope International with PHIN the Gambia held a day's sensitization of women in the grassroots level at the Catholic Relief Services at Kanifing on 12th February 2010.
This day's sensitization is to make difference in people's lives especially women. They had the opportunity to explore the definitions of domestic violence, myths and statics, reasons why it is difficult to leave an abusive relationship, indicators of domestic violence, what you can do to avoid domestic violence or to fight against domestic violence, and how to provide support to those affected.
In her presentation Isatou Gillen Dibba Chairman of Board of Directors said the target group are local women groups, CSOs, students, other stakeholder so that they learn the objectives, which are to demonstrate a better understanding of domestic violence, to demonstrate an understanding of reasons why it is difficult to leave an abusive relationship and demonstrate an understanding of accountability and responsibility in the relation to domestic violence.
She pointed out that topics that will be discussed are definition of gender-violence, examples of gender-based violence, what causes domestic violence or why domestic violence is a perpetrated exercise, what are the problems facing women in the community, what is the impact of domestic violence, why it is difficult to eradicate domestic violence and how can the police help me if you are victim of domestic violence.
She revealed that the different types of gender based violence are intimate partner violence (Domestic violence) emotional violence, insult threats, forced sexual initiation, physical violence (e.g. pushing, hitting, physical harm, murder, rape, trafficking, forced marriage and wife interference.
The consequence of Gender Based violence also increases variety of negative impact on general health consequences, impact on reproductive health during pregnancy and increased risk on HIV/AIDS, physical debility and social impact, which also occurs when children miss school, it is both a social and an economic cost in that it is a detriment to long term growth of society due to last productivity more over, declining health status may also be consider a social cost because of its implications related to deceased productivity or participation in society. She said.
She concluded that they can cause family violence and its impact on children, which.
She said according to the world bank, in established market economics, gender based violence is responsible for one out of every five healthy days of life lost to women of reproductive age, gender based violence cased more death and disabilities among women between the ages of 15 and 44 then cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and even war, family violence will always have a devasting effect on the lives of children, since it is an experience of brutal isolation for them, and asking for help can be difficult, solitary exercise.
Also speaking at the programme is the programme coordinator Njareh Jobe who also explain to participants what gender violence is the local language and what measured they have take to solve the problem.
Njareh also welcome participants to explain what they understand in the GBV as they explain problems, they encounter within their house hold and within there surrounding and neighbors.
The participants also work in group each person worked in a group whereby she can understand the language and able to understand the problem GBV in societies