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| Media practitioners at the workshop |
The Community Initiative for Sustainable Development, COMINSUD has in a workshop on June 4, 2020 familiarized media practitioners with the combat against Gender Based Violence as well as how to get across information to the masses relating to the coronavirus disease.
The workshop which brought together 25 participants, comprised of Journalists of radio stations, bloggers and national language broadcasters who were enlightened on how to improve on the information disseminated on the existence and importance of the referral pathway such that community members make use and seek proximity services as well as the propagation of the information in the referral pathway and messages for Covid-19 prevention.
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| Administrator of COMINSUD |
The administrator of COMINSUD, Mokum Njouny Nelson in an exchange session with participants encouraged them to pass unto the masses messages of hope which he emphasized should center on people recovering from the virus than focusing on the dead figures while also informing their audiences in the best possible language, the realities and the prevention measures to embrace as concerns Covid-19. Advising the media practitioners, the administrator exhorted the media actors to fact check before passing on information and also abstain from stigma related languages when giving out information on Covid-19 but preferably use heartening articulations.
“This workshop with journalists was to provide information to them about a referral pathway within a referral system. The referral pathway is a key guiding people to place of services and to make sure people who face aspects like GBV which the key aspect is rape which many people who face such have gone without attention but within the framework of protection, every person that faces rape should be able to have care at the hospital within 72hours.” Fon Nsoh
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| Coordinator of COMINSUD |
Presenting the third session of the workshop, the coordinator of COMINSUD, Fon Nsoh, inspired the participants to voice out cases of GBV and also sensitize their audiences through their radio programs. Presenting on the referral pathway, he elaborated on the different areas of referrals which are: Psycho-social support services which includes Psychological First Aid, Case Management and Psychological counseling, Medical Interventions, Legal Services, Economic Empowerment Services which embodies Skill Development and capacity building and Income generating activities and Safety Services made up of Safe Spaces and Safe Shelter. To note that, the objectives of the referral system aims to improve the quality and timeliness of care received , improve timely access to quality services for survivors of GBV/SRH, to facilitate service provision and connect actors identifying GBV cases with service providers in the North West region amongst others.
The coordinator of COMINSUD encouraged that neighbours should speak to perpetrators of violence so that they change their attitudes and form circles of protection amongst those who are weak
“there exist perpetrators that can actually change but when they are not being cautioned about their behaviors, they are exposed to further harm. There are also other people who face other forms of violence that should be taken off from those points where they face violence, so communities should be able to stand by such people rather than gather around and mourn the dead of somebody or say this has been happening many times and not doing anything, so we should do something today that would protect someone from getting harmed.” The Coordinator reiterated.
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| a cross section of participants |
Media actors armed with the information on referral pathways are expected to reach out to youth and adult population to know where they can get help especially in the case of rape within 72hours and also help refer victims of Gender Based Violence with the help of their directory for service providers involved in providing response for survivors of GBV.
COMINSUD in partnership with UNFPA are focused on implementing the project titled “Lifesaving interventions against Gender Based Violence and Sexual Reproductive Health Interventions for women, girls and persons living with Disabilities in the North West Region”.
By Tasi Peter
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