Bafoussam – June 19, 2025 – Bafoussam Baptist Hospital hosted a four-day intensive capacity-building workshop aimed at strengthening the ability of frontline healthcare workers to deliver life-saving, inclusive, and dignified care to survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) challenges. Held from June 16 to 19, 2025, the training brought together 25 selected clinical personnel from hard-to-reach and conflict-affected communities in Cameroon’s Northwest Region.
The workshop is a key component of the ongoing UNFPA ECHO-funded project titled, “Delivering Lifesaving Integrated and Holistic Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Services to Women and Girls in Hard-to-Reach Conflict-Affected Localities in the North West and South West (NW/SW) Regions of Cameroon”. The project is implemented by Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services (CBCHS), and aims to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths while ensuring timely GBV and SRH care in areas plagued by humanitarian crises.
GBV Response: Focused Training on Case Management
A key purpose of the Bafoussam workshop was to train healthcare providers on the Clinical Management of Rape (CMR), Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), and use of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) and Interagency Emergency Reproductive Health (IARH) Kit 3. This training is intended to ensure that survivors of GBV, particularly women and girls in remote areas, receive dignified, comprehensive, and life-saving care.
The training featured presentations from experts in GBV and SRH, including a GBV specialist, an SRH focal person, and a UNFPA SRH expert. Participants were selected based on their clinical background, current work in project implementation zones, and commitment to SRH and GBV response in humanitarian contexts.
The curriculum was designed to be both practical and participatory. Techniques included PowerPoint presentations, group exercises, role-plays, demonstrations, and plenary discussions. Participants were drilled on GBV-SRH integration, humanitarian principles, informed consent and confidentiality, forensic evidence collection, referral pathways, clinical care preparations, and understanding the psychosocial dimensions of care.
SRH Skills Strengthened to Save Lives
Under the SRH component, participants received refresher sessions on family planning counseling, emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC), and obstetric fistula identification and referral, with emphasis on the European Union ECHO project’s focus on fistula repairs. The training also reinforced participants’ ability to identify and refer complicated maternal health cases, enhancing the quality and timeliness of service delivery in crisis-affected communities.
At the end of the workshop, participants demonstrated a clear understanding of the tools and techniques required to manage SGBV cases and SRH emergencies in low-resource and high-risk environments. Deliverables included a detailed workshop report with photos, and a full list of trained participants, establishing a clear benchmark for tracking impact.
This training marks a critical step toward closing the gap in essential healthcare services for women and girls in Cameroon’s most vulnerable communities. By investing in frontline responders, the UNFPA and CBCHS are helping to build a resilient and compassionate health system—one that prioritizes dignity, access, and lifesaving care for those who need it most.
Background: Rising Needs in Conflict-Affected Regions
The Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon remain deeply affected by a prolonged socio-political crisis, resulting in increasing humanitarian needs. According to OCHA, persistent violence involving armed confrontations and the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) continues to drive displacement and re-displacement, affecting thousands. In 2025 alone, over 2,283 people (from 539 households) have fled into bushes, nearby villages, and towns in divisions like Donga-Mantung and Mezam (NW) and Ndian (SW).
These vulnerable populations—many of them women and girls—face alarming protection risks and lack access to essential healthcare. Despite the growing prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), including intimate partner violence (IPV), there is a critical shortage of trained professionals and resources to provide timely, comprehensive SRH and GBV services.
In response, the 2025 UNFPA/CBCHS workplan focuses on improving access to SRH services, addressing GBV, and integrating mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian response. Ten midwives have been deployed for 12 months across five health districts: Ndu, Finkwi, Ashong, Kumba, and Ekondo Titi. The workshop ended with a closing address by CBC Director of Health Services, Mr. Ngum Samuel. He commended the midwives for their commitment to serving vulnerable populations and applauded the project team and facilitators for their resilience and professionalism.