The PEACE project therefore also focuses on improving the economic independence of girls and girls. ‘We provide training on how to start your own personal business and do the management. Because many women and girls are illiterate, we furthermore teach reading and writing, ’ Délcio says.
Information item | 01-12-2022 | 15: 41
Dutch embassy: IGUAL programme
The Dutch embassy in Maputo has been funding 16 local organisations, which includes MULEIDE and OACDS, with the IGUAL programme (‘igual’ indicates ‘equal’ in Portuguese) considering that 2021. With a total associated with eight projects, these companies are fighting gender-based violence in the East African nation. This includes not just violence towards women and girls, but also violence against people from the LGBTI+ community. The programme can be implemented by local civil society organisation CESC (Centro de Aprendizagem e Capacitação da Sociedade Civil) and will run until 2025.
Orange the World and the Ministry of Foreign Matters
On paper, women and girls possess equal rights in Mozambique. In practice, however , there is no legal equality. Isabel explains why: ‘You may have equal rights as a woman or girl, but you also need to know that you might have those rights. Many women plus girls in Mozambique can’t read or write. These people simply don’t have the knowledge and skills to find out what their particular rights are. Not only are they not aware of the legislation, they also don’t have access to justice. Ladies and girls simply don’t know where and from who they can get legal assistance. ’
Cabo Delgado province: extreme violence
Isabel and Délcio’s organisations work in Cabo Delgado province for a reason. Délcio explains: ‘This province has experienced intense violence by armed organizations since 2017. Nearly 1 million people have already fled. And as in all armed issues, women and girls in Cabo Delgado have faced intense violence, including abuse, rape, kidnapping and economic oppression. According to our estimates, about 70% of women and ladies in this province have been impacted. This is a shocking percentage. Based in the relatively peaceful district of Namuno in the southern part of Cabo Delgado, we’re dealing with the women and girls that have fled, helping them to procedure their experiences and become a lot more resilient. ’
Broader problem
According to Isabel, the problem of violence towards women and girls is not restricted to Cabo Delgado: ‘The is actually broader. Violence is prevalent throughout Mozambique. The socioeconomic position of women and girls increases their vulnerability. Ladies and girls do the housework, take care of the children, have no job, simply no income, no education with no access to social services. All of us work in this province, but thanks to the Dutch embassy’s support of the IGUAL programme, we are able to reach women and girls through the country. ’
Awareness of legislation, access to justice
Isabel and Délcio remember that radio programmes about violence against women and girls offer a way to reach men and kids. Though aimed at providing info to women and girls, everybody can listen to the programmes so men and boys buy to learn more about the issue. One in three ladies worldwide will experience physical or sexual violence at some time in their life. The global campaign Orange colored the World raises awareness of the fight against this violence. Every year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BZ) takes part in this international UN campaign to raise awareness of the need to end violence against women and girls. Protection from physical, sexual and gender-based violence is an important policy concern. BZ is committed to women’s rights and gender equal rights worldwide, and the Netherlands has got the largest women’s rights fund in the world. IGUAL is one example of the global programmes BZ supports to combat gender-based assault.
Economic independence
The global Orange the entire world campaign raises awareness of violence against women and girls. The campaign takes place each year through 25 November, the Worldwide Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day. The Dutch embassy in Mozambique supports nearby projects in the fight against gender-based violence. Isabel Prostamo plus Délcio Brandão Mbota talk about their PEACE project that has already reached 500 girls. ‘PEACE (Projecto de Engajamento Activo para a Cidadania e Empoderamento da Mulher) is a collaborative project between local companies, ’ says Isabel Prostamo of MULEIDE (Mulher Lei e Desenvolvimento). ‘In cooperation with Délcio Brandão Mbota from OACDS (Organização para Ação Comunitária e Desenvolvimento Sustentável), we’re implementing this particular project in the northern state of Cabo Delgado. Within August we started using a focus group of 1, five hundred women and 500 girls. We’ve already been able to reach the group of 500 girls. ’
Involve men and guys
According to Délcio, the possibilities of women and girls becoming sufferers of gender-based violence reduces if they are economically independent. ‘Right now, most women and ladies aren’t in a position to escape their particular husbands’ violent behaviour, ’ Délcio says, adding that ‘Where will I live? ’ and ‘How will I get an income? ’ are the worries that the women and girls are usually dealing with. ‘Ultimately, it’s up to the whole of society to eliminate assault against women and girls, ’ Isabel says. ‘The tasks within the IGUAL programme help with eliminating gender-based violence within our country. ’
Radio contacts
This is achieved by allowing men and children to participate in discussions during information sessions with women and girls. ‘Talking to each other brings dilemmas, prejudices and unpleasant experiences out into the open up. The men and boys also take an active part within the role play during one of our activities in which we all re-enact situations of gender-based violence. The men and guys sometimes find this very upsetting and it can lead to a genuine change in their thinking and actions, ’ Délcio explains.
Whole of community
Délcio believes that it is going to be impossible to put an end in order to violence against women and young ladies unless men and boys modify their behaviour. ‘Our goal is to make women and ladies resilient and independent. It has had some success and is already having a huge good impact on gender-based violence. But men and boys also play a crucial role and so we have to involve them. ’
