Educators Trained on identifying and addressing School-Related Gender Based Violence (SRGBV)

 

Educators from over 20 African Union Member States are currently participating in a capacity-building workshop on School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV), taking place in Yaoundé under the theme: “Empowering Educators to End SRGBV through Teacher Leadership and Advocacy”. The training is to be held from July 28–31, 2025, in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

The four-day training aims to deepen participants’ understanding of SRGBV and equip them with practical skills to design learner-centred activities that integrate SRGBV prevention and response strategies. By the end of the workshop, participants are expected to serve as trainers within both pre-service and in-service teacher education programs, extending the impact across national education systems.

In her opening remarks, Mrs. Simone Yankey, Coordinator of the African Union International Centre for Girls and Women’s Education in Africa (AU CIEFFA), emphasised the pivotal role of educators in creating safe learning environments: “Educators are vital agents of change. You are the custodians of safe and nurturing learning spaces and advocates for the rights of our children. This training goes beyond prevention—it provides tools to ensure safety and offer psychosocial support to both learners and teachers.”

Mr. Ndissara Philemon, General Inspector Coordinator for Teachers’ Training at Cameroon’s Ministry of Secondary Education, welcomed participants on behalf of the Minister. He reaffirmed Cameroon’s commitment to promoting safe schools and closing gender gaps in education.

Globally, an estimated 246 million children experience violence in and around schools each year, according to UNICEF. SRGBV remains a major barrier to learning, particularly for girls, affecting school attendance, academic performance, and overall well-being.

Professor Jean Koulidiati, Rector of the Pan African University, highlighted the importance of collective responsibility: “If we all take responsibility and give violence prevention the priority it deserves, we can turn risks into opportunities.”

Dr. Said Ould A. Voffal of UNESCO asserted the organization’s commitment to ensuring the safety of all students, especially girls, who are disproportionately affected by physical violence.

SRGBV has been linked to increased absenteeism, school dropouts, and poor learning outcomes. Addressing it is essential to achieving inclusive and equitable quality education across Africa.

H.E. Prof. Sarah Anyang Agbor, President of Cameroon office of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), shared key milestones achieved by FAWE in reducing SRGBV and advancing girls’ education through its national chapters.

During the opening, Mrs. Yankey officially presented the award trophy to the Cameroonian authorities in recognition of their efforts in launching the #AfricaEducatesHer Campaign in the country.

The Teachers’ Capacity Building workshop is jointly organised by AU CIEFFA, the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) and FAWE, reflecting a strong partnership to empower educators and promote gender equality in education.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).