The Ministry in charge of Gender in partnership with UNFPA, organized from May 31 to June 3, 2023 in Léo, a capacity building workshop for members of the Network for the Promotion of Positive Masculinity in the province of the Sissili.

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is a serious international human rights violation that challenges the principles of gender equality.

It is also a threat to lasting peace and human dignity. The root causes of these GBVs are, among other things, the persistence of harmful traditional practices (excision, child marriage, genital mutilation, etc.).

They are both an economic and a social problem and constitute major obstacles to development and poverty reduction.

In order to promote a reversal of this trend, the Ministry in charge of Gender, in partnership with UNFPA, has initiated framing meetings and identified the members of the provincial networks with a view to setting up networks to promote positive masculinity in the Centre-West, Hauts-Bassins and Centre-Sud regions.

It is in this perspective that the present training session for members of the Network for the Promotion of Positive Masculinity of the Province of Sissili, took place from May 31 to June 03, 2023 in Léo, on Gender-based violence and positive masculinity.

For the provincial director in charge of Gender, Towendé Dawèga, representing the High Commissioner, this workshop is intended as a framework for exchange and sharing of experience.

For four days, participants acquired knowledge on GBV and positive masculinity through the various modules developed by the team of trainers from the ministry in charge of gender led by Sarah Barro.

They were also entitled to a presentation on the composition of the network, its attributions, its organization, its functioning and the composition of the office.

From the exchanges, it will be noted that despite the ignorance of certain opportunities, efforts are being made by the State for the empowerment of the family and of women through microfinance structures.

Also, communities must better integrate the question of women in their priorities.

The members of the network elected their representatives.

With eight members, the new office will be headed by a coordinator, the provincial director in charge of Gender, Towendé Dawèga.

He, on behalf of the High Commissioner of Sissili, thanked and congratulated the participants for their full participation in the exchanges.

“This first meeting is undoubtedly a start for the fight against gender-based violence, zero tolerance at the dawn of 2024,” he said.

Mr. Dawèga finally asked for the support and accompaniment of all to achieve common objectives in the fight against this degrading practice.

Source: Burkina Information Agency