Survivors of gender-based violence in Juba County’s Gondokoro Island will now have community leaders they can call to report abuse after the Women’s Foundation for Humanity distributed mobile phones to newly formed community engagement groups to strengthen protection for women, girls and boys.
The mobile phones were handed to leaders of four community engagement groups on Sunday during an event at which the organization also distributed dignity kits to adolescent girls.
Speaking during the event, Women’s Foundation for Humanity Executive Director, Dorothy Drabuga, said the initiative is intended to improve reporting of cases of gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), which often go unreported.
“The reason why we are forming these groups is that we want to see how cases of gender-based violence can be reduced, how sexual and gender-based violence can be prevented, and how our women, girls and boys can be protected from sexual and gender-based violence,” she said.
The four groups formed comprise teachers and faith-based leaders, women, youth and elders. Each group has 20 members led by a chairperson and secretary.
Drabuga said many survivors remain silent despite increasing incidents of rape and domestic violence, adding that the groups are expected to make reporting easier, especially where members from other groups can report incidents involving perpetrators within their own communities.
“There are a lot of cases of sexual gender-based violence, issues of rape, cases of domestic violence. All these are occurring, but they are not being reported,” she said. “So the leaders of this group, with the telephones given, you have to call and report.”
The community engagement groups bring together chiefs, teachers, youth leaders, women, boys and girls to promote awareness and prevent violence within the community.
Drabuga urged residents to take ownership of the initiative.
“So these are all ways of how we can reduce sexual and gender-based violence. It is a collective responsibility,” she stated. “That is why we want to leave the responsibility to you people here of Gondokoro, not us. For us, we are here to guide you.”
Residents welcomed both the formation of the groups and the distribution of mobile phones, saying the tools will strengthen reporting and response to GBV cases.
James Lado Joseph, Secretary General of the Teachers and Faith-Based Group, said the phone will enable members to report incidents quickly and seek guidance from partner organizations.
“I received a phone and a notebook which will help me learn how to control GPP in my area. Especially if anything happens, I may also report to an organization so that in any case they will direct me where to go,” he said. “I am so very glad and happy with the organization for what they are doing for us because they are giving us knowledge and also helping the government in controlling gender-based violence.”
“If you hear anything, do not get scared to report. This is our mandate as a group to also prevent such things and reduce those cases,” he added.
Meanwhile, Agnes Poni, Chairlady of the Future Youth Group, said the phone would help her group report GBV cases and security concerns through local chiefs. She said early marriage remains one of the biggest challenges affecting girls in the community.
“When we have issues of gender-based violence, we need to raise our voice so that we get a solution,” she said.
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