ROOM 4 GIRLS
The Room4Girls Initiative is a Women in Alternative Action (WAA) Cameroon’s initiative that envisions a convivial forum for young girls to express themselves, learn and share from peers regarding basic aspects of being a woman within the context of sexuality, personal health and hygiene, relationships with same and opposite genders, personal development, early economic empowerment, setting and achieving goals, being resilient and discipline just to name a few.
Women and girls have traditionally played critical roles in our African societies, yet their status have often been dwarfed and subordinated due to “cultural malpractices”. In recent times, issues that had been relegated to the background as a result of the marginalised mind-set of the female gender by society over the years is beginning to receive an unprecedented attention due to a kind of mind shift as women and girls from all walks in life continue to demonstrate their prowess, reliability and efficiency as a major partner in life’s endeavour. The trust in the female gender is soaring considerably and the young girls must be taught to believe in this new reality.
Gender Based Violence (GBV) including Child Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Sex Education, Menstrual Hygiene and HIV/AIDS are some of the many issues girls hardly feel free to talk about. It is therefore important to create safe spaces for adolescent girls and young women, where they can address these issues.
The Room4Girls initiative will go a long way in empowering and building up self-esteem and leadership abilities of adolescent girls and young women to face the world with confidence and without apologies for being who they are. The girls must forge ahead to achieve their dreams and potentials and as well seek to take informed decisions and make choices for themselves.
Objective of ROOM4GIRLS
The main objective of this initiative is to create virtual and physical safe spaces free from judgement, stigmatization and discrimination; where adolescent girls and young women can exchange and learn, by sharing best practices, lessons learned on being a woman, sexuality, rights and responsibilities of a girl child vis a vis society, what it means and takes to be a virtuous woman etc. Topics that will inevitably obliterate all the different societal myth wrapped around the female gender.
Specific objectives
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Build leadership skills and qualities of adolescent girls and young women
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Educate girls and young women on their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.
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Create awareness on harmful sexual practices and lay emphasis on the importance of safe sexuality.
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Provide young girls with knowledge on quality and affordable contraceptives and every other material for sexual and reproductive health.
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Help the young girls to make healthy informed decisions about their sexuality.
The Room4Girls project pivots on four main thematic areas. These areas are:
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Gender-Based Violence (GBV),
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Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR),
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Sexual and Health Education (SHE)
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Girls Leadership & Livelihood Development.
Confidentiality, Integrity and Sustainability
Expected outcomes
Through this program, we expect:
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Young girls achieve sufficient knowledge and understand their rights and responsibilities.
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Curb deviant sexual habits amongst youths and adolescents.
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A sharp drop in the number of pregnant youths and adolescent related abortions
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Reduced social stigma and psychological trauma related to sexual health and girls’ rights.
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Girls feel more confident of their bodies
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Girls take more initiatives to discuss girls’ issues freely within girls’ circles/forums
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Visible changes in the handling of girls’ related matters in our communities.
Meet The Cordinators
Gracious Kumche
Tel: 683363218
