16 DAYS ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE

17 Dec 2018 • News

The Anglican Church of Burundi has conducted various activities during the 16 day campaign aimed to challenge people to end gender based violence and to advocate for victims.

The Provincial department in charge of GBV has organised a forum of civil society organisations to reflect on the coordination of work in this area. The participants stressed the importance of working together as a network in order to have more impact in reducing cases of gender based violence.

Throughout the dioceses of the Anglican Church women and men have been mobilised to participate in public marches against GBV. People had the opportunity to hear powerful testimonies of changes that have happened in families as a result of trainings from Provincial and Diocesan GBV departments.

Religious leaders trained and committed to raising awareness of the negative effect of GBV on victims and on families have had an impact on decision makers at local level in the fight against impunity of perpetrators and the giving of support to victims.

Revd Jeanne Francoise, the Provincial Coordinator against GBV said that many positive steps have been taken in fighting GBV but there is still more to be done. “We need to work hand in hand as we are all concerned. It’s our duty to stretch out our hands to those women and girls in distress because of violence,” she said.

The General Secretary of the Province who, with the Bishop of Gitega participated in the march in Makebuko to protest against gender based violence said that the Anglican Church of Burundi will never ignore any form of violence particularly that perpetrated against women and girls. “We take this opportunity to give a clear message to the authors of violence against women and girls that the Anglican Church of Burundi will oppose them even if they claim to be members of the Church,” said Rev Félibien NDINTORE.