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    EVAW/G and Promote rights

    Context (Problem Statement)

    Across Cameroon and Africa, violence against women and girls is not just a statistic; it is a daily reality that steals dreams, breaks families, and silences potential. It hides behind closed doors and within cultural norms that continue to normalize abuse and inequality. The World Health Organization reports that one in every three women globally has suffered physical or sexual violence, with Africa among the hardest hit. In Cameroon, UNFPA reveals that more than half of married women experience intimate partner violence, including 34 percent physical and 13 percent sexual violence. These are not just numbers but the untold stories of mothers, wives, and daughters who suffer in silence. For too many girls, childhood ends too soon. Nearly 30 percent of Cameroonian girls are married before the age of 18, and in rural communities, the figure rises to 45 percent. This denies them education, health, and opportunity, forcing them into cycles of dependence and poverty. During crises, their suffering deepens as displacement, sexual exploitation, and early pregnancy multiply their trauma. In conflict-affected regions such as the North-West, South-West, and Far North, violence has become a cruel tool of power and control. In 2023, more than 51,000 women and girls worldwide were killed by family members, with Africa suffering the heaviest loss. For 25 years, LUKMEF has stood beside these women as a true ally in their struggle for justice, safety, and equality. Through survivor-centered services, community education, and advocacy for gender justice, LUKMEF restores hope where pain once reigned. Its mission is deeply human: to replace fear with freedom, silence with voice, and violence with dignity, ensuring that every woman and girl can live, dream, and lead without fear.

    Key Actions / Strategies

    Strategic approach #1 Integrated Survivor-Centered Protection and Response Services: LUKMEF operates one-stop centers providing medical care, psychosocial support, legal aid, safe shelter, and reintegration support for survivors of gender-based violence. This holistic approach ensures that no survivor is left alone, bridging the gap between emergency care and long-term recovery while restoring dignity and confidence.

    Strategic approach #2:  Community Norm Transformation and Behavioral Change Communication

    Through intensive community dialogues, men and boys engagement programs, and faith-based advocacy, LUKMEF challenges deep-rooted gender stereotypes that fuel violence. Culturally sensitive campaigns, school-based clubs, and mass media actions foster attitudes that respect women’s rights and equality as shared community values rather than external impositions.

    Strategic approach #3 Economic Empowerment and Women’s Leadership Development

    Recognizing that economic dependence often traps women in abusive relationships, LUKMEF promotes women’s access to skills training, entrepreneurship, and microfinance initiatives. Women are supported to lead cooperatives, peace committees, and local councils, ensuring that their voices shape community priorities and decision-making processes.

    Strategic approach #4 Strengthening Legal and Institutional Frameworks for Justice

    LUKMEF works with law enforcement, judicial actors, and traditional authorities to enhance survivor-friendly reporting, protection, and prosecution of GBV cases. The organization advocates for stronger enforcement of national and international laws protecting women and aligns its programs with CEDAW, the Maputo Protocol, and UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security.

    Strategic approach #5 Protection in Humanitarian and Crisis Settings

    Within humanitarian coordination structures, LUKMEF leads GBV prevention and response interventions targeting displaced women and girls, including safe spaces, referral systems, and emergency livelihood support. Its participation in the Humanitarian Country Team and the Localization Working Group ensures women’s protection remains central to crisis response planning.

    Strategic approach #6  Research, Data, and Advocacy for Policy and Systems Change

    LUKMEF generates and disseminates evidence on GBV trends, root causes, and effective interventions through gender audits, survivor databases, and policy briefs. This evidence informs national advocacy, influencing government policies and donor priorities while ensuring that women’s lived realities guide reforms and funding decisions. Together, these six strategies reflect LUKMEF’s 25-year journey of transforming compassion into measurable impact,  protecting survivors, changing mindsets, building systems, and advancing equality so that every woman and girl can live free from fear and full of hope.

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