Listening as a First Step to Change
This past Saturday, the DAREM-PEI team, with support from UNFPA, carried out a safety audit with indigenous Mbororo women and girls in Bangem Subdivision. The activity centered on one truth
When women and girls speak, communities transform.
Through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), women and girls shared powerful stories of resilience as well as the persistent challenges they face, including limited access to essential services, insecurity, and lack of safe spaces.
These conversations revealed not only the risks women encounter daily but also their determination to shape solutions for safer, more inclusive communities.
Mapping Resources and Gaps
Beyond storytelling, the safety audit also included resource mapping—identifying available services, protection systems, and community assets. Importantly, it highlighted critical gaps such as:
• Limited access to healthcare and psychosocial support for survivors of GBV.
• Inadequate reporting and referral mechanisms in rural communities.
• Cultural barriers that silence survivors and perpetuate harmful practices.
By documenting these insights, DAREM-PEI and UNFPA are laying the groundwork for evidence-based interventions that truly reflect the lived realities of indigenous women and girls.
The Bigger Picture: Why Safety Audits Matter
Safety audits are more than community consultations—they are transformative tools. They:
Amplify marginalized voices, ensuring women and girls are central to decision-making.
Strengthen protection systems by identifying risks and gaps that need urgent attention.
Mobilize communities and leaders to take joint action against GBV.
Globally, research shows that when women are actively involved in safety planning, community protection systems become 30–40% more effective (UN Women, 2021). In fragile contexts like Bangem, such efforts are critical to building resilience.
From Margins to Mainstream
For the Mbororo community in Bangem, this safety audit is more than an event—it is part of a broader movement to ensure indigenous women and girls transition from the margins to the mainstream in the fight against GBV.
By prioritizing their voices, mapping resources, and engaging stakeholders, DAREM-PEI and UNFPA are helping create a future where women and girls can live free from violence, participate fully in community life, and thrive as leaders of change.
Together, we are advancing gender equality and amplifying indigenous voices for safer, more inclusive communities.
#UNFPA #BMZ #GIZ #Europeanunion #IndigenousRights #GBVPrevention #SafetyAudit #Bangem #WomenVoicesMatter #DaremPEI
