Strengthening Community Capacities on Gender-Based Violence

To reinforce essential knowledge for an appropriate community response.

On April 16 and 17, medicusmundi, within the framework of a project developed in collaboration with the Wiwanana Foundation, provided practical training to community activists from the communities of Nacoja and Nacoloco (Ancuabe), with the aim of strengthening their capacities on gender-based violence and improving community mechanisms for detecting and responding to these cases.

Twelve community activists attended the meetings, six from each community (three women and three men in each community), including one activist who serves as the community's gender-based violence focal point.

During the sessions, content related to the basic concepts of gender-based violence and the fundamental principles of initial case management was presented, in order to reinforce essential knowledge for an appropriate community response.

This activity aims, on the one hand, to strengthen the capacity for early identification of gender-based violence cases at the community level; on the other hand, it seeks to ensure that the knowledge and skills acquired remain within the community in the medium and long term. It also aims to improve coordination between the community and institutional levels, increasing the effectiveness, coherence, and quality of referrals and care for women and girls who are survivors of gender-based violence.

This meeting will be followed by two more multisectoral meetings throughout the year, with the participation of community activists, with the objective of further strengthening the integrated system for monitoring and responding to cases of gender-based violence.