MISSION, GOC, AND IO INVOLVEMENT IN ACTIVITIES AGAINST

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000576

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

STATE FOR AF/C AND S/GWI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PREF PHUM EAID SOCI KWMN CD
SUBJECT: MISSION, GOC, AND IO INVOLVEMENT IN ACTIVITIES AGAINST
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

REFTEL: STATE 120322

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SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) In response to reftel, Post would like to take the
opportunity to highlight its long history of fighting gender-based
violence (GBV) and female genital mutilation (FGM) in Chadian
society. The GOC has recently inaugurated its own GBV campaign. In
addition, the UN system is deeply engaged in this issue in Chad
among all three populations: host populations, refugees, and
internally displaced.

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HISTORY OF POST'S EFFORTS AGAINST GBV
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2. (SBU) In response to reftel, Post would like to take the
opportunity to highlight its long history of fighting gender-based
violence (GBV) and female genital mutilation (FGM) in Chadian
society, as well as the . Over many years, the Mission has funded
activities and assisted local organizations to combat GBV. The
Embassy has been at the forefront of efforts to specifically combat
FGM, including financial support for a national NGO that engaged
with the GOC on passage and enactment of a local law criminalizing
the practice of FGM. We have also funded a study examining the
problem and nation-wide education campaigns to change attitudes and
behaviors.

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GOVERNMENT'S CHANCE TO TAKE CHARGE
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3. (SBU) More recently, the GOC, supported by the UN, has launched
its own campaign to address the issue of GBV. First Lady Hinda Deby
has championed the initiative, which kicked off with ceremonies and
speeches in Chad's eastern city of Abeche on October 28, 2009. The
Ministry of National Solidarity, which is headed by women, is
particularly active on this issue through social outreach centers
around the country. The GOC has developed and distributed a variety
of graphic materials -- pamphlets, billboards, paintings on walls --
illustrating its message condemning FGM, early marriage, rape and
GBV, sexual harassment, exploitation of girls, and use of child
soldiers. UN officials have told us that they feel attitudes toward
GBV are changing fastest among women of higher socio-economic
classes, but also believe that poorer women are beginning to
mobilize in locations where particularly egregious cases of
gender-based violence have occurred.

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UN EFFORTS TO FIGHT GBV
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4. (SBU) The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has the lead among UN
agencies to address the issue of gender-based violence among Chadian
populations in the GBV "Sub-cluster" within the "protection
cluster," as part of the response framework under the UN Office for
Coordination of Humanitarian Activities (OCHA). UNHCR maintains the
lead for all protection issues within the Sudanese and Central
African refugee camps, in coordination with UNFPA. The Population
Fund coordinated its 2009 activities according to its Annual Action
Plan and is developing a 2010 national strategy to combat GBV.
Under the 2009 Action Plan, UNFPA developed the sensitization
training manuals for use nation-wide, and led UN agency activities
pertaining to medical responses. The 2010 National Prevention and
Response Strategy will have specific sections focused on activities
for the east and south of the country where refugees, internally
displaced persons (IDPs) and host populations live in often uneasy
proximity. UNFPA, along with other UN agencies and INGOs, has built
a data collection tool, the GBV Information Management System
(GBV-IMS),which it intends to utilize to standardize all data
collection in the varied communities they serve. Funding for the
roll-out of the GBV-IMS is still needed, and UNFPA intends to make
an appeal to the USG for assistance.


NIGRO