The Ocades SED of Fada N’Gourma organized on July 11, 2023 in Fada N’Gourma, awareness sessions on gender-based violence (GBV) with companies realizing the infrastructures of the Emergency Project for Territorial Development and Resilience (PUDTR) and the host communities.

It is within the framework of the realization of the major projects of the PUDTR in the city of Fada N’Gourma for several months that the Ocades SED of Fada N’Gourma has organized awareness sessions on gender-based violence (GBV ) with company workers and host populations.

The Health-Nutrition, Wash and Protection program manager of the Ocades SED of Fada N’Gourma, D. Jean Thiombiano indicated that their visit to the field aims to raise awareness among company workers and host populations of responsible behavior in order to avoid GBV, sexual harassment of women, girls and children as well as internally displaced persons (IDPs). A project coordination unit from Ouagadougou attended these Ocades awareness sessions.

He added that their basis is that this PUDTR project starts well and ends well without any person being able to bear the damages of irresponsible behavior.

In addition, Mr. Thiombiano pointed out that until today, no case of GBV linked to the implementation of the PUDTR has been found in Fada N’Gourma. Also, the Health-Nutrition, Wash and Protection program manager suggested that Ocades through the Response and Prevention project takes charge in the event of the survival of acts of GBV linked to the work of the PUDTR.

Ocade’s prevention actions in the field are appreciated by the beneficiaries. Thus, the head of the HSE Company of YELHY TECHNOGY AFRICA, Guy Fernand Ouédraogo argued that Ocades supports them “through awareness sessions on GBV, on the code of good conduct and the complaint mechanism”.

He praised Ocades’ awareness-raising actions for their benefit because, according to him, they reinforce the behavior they expect from workers.

A citizen of the host community, Maîmouna Kida added in these terms: “The facilitators advised us to take good care of our little girls who sell cakes, mangoes, peanuts so that they adopt responsible behavior in order to ‘avoid unwanted pregnancies, GBV, early marriages…’.

“As for us women, they asked us to take care of ourselves so that the work that is being done ends without us being victims,” said Mrs. Kida.

Source: Burkina Information Agency