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implementing the education project for minors kept under custody by IDAY and
“Association Grain de Sable” [Grain of Sand Association].
As for the prevention of and fight against sexual violence, corporal punishment,
abuse and trafficking of children for sexual exploitation, some actions taken were:
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carrying out the national campaign on the fight against child trafficking and sexual
exploitation by MINAS, with support from EIP-Cameroun and UNICEF;
continuing with the implementation, since 2011, of a sexual violence prevention project
called “Création d’un environnement protecteur pour la prévention des abus sexuels et
de la traite des enfants à des fins d’exploitation sexuelle et des discriminations
sexistes des enfants au Cameroun” [Creating a protective environment for the
prevention of sexual abuse and trafficking of children for sexual exploitation and
gender discrimination of children in Cameroon] by Kinderrechte Afrika, in partnership
with some associations, “CIPCRE Cameroun” and ALDEPA;
building the capacities of journalists and radio presenters during programmes for the
promotion of the rights of the child;
organising media campaigns;
celebrating all the days dedicated to the child, laying emphasis on his education;
raising the awareness of students in schools and students’ parents on sexual abuse;
carrying out the national campaign against child trafficking and sexual exploitation by
MINAS, with support from EIP (Ecole Instrument de Paix)-Cameroun [School,
Instrument of Peace] and UNICEF;
holding in February 2014 of a symposium on harassment within school and university
milieu.
In general, considerable efforts have been made to improve on education and number of
teachers in the primary, secondary and higher levels. The increase in the number of
schools, training centres, professional high schools and handicraft and domestic science
training centres (SAR/SM) helped to absorb a significant number of children and,
particularly, girl children and young mothers who are school dropouts. The inclusion in the
curricula of modules on the rights of the child, the fight against all forms of violence
against children in school and life skills have enabled children to better acquire selfprotection reflexes against some of these scourges. In addition, the number of projects
realized on drinking water supply and sanitation in schools has raised children's
awareness on behavioural patterns to be encouraged in order to eradicate some diseases
such as cholera, malaria and other water-borne diseases.
However, the actions still face some difficulties such as: insufficient budgets allocated to
meet the needs of social ministries, especially Health, Employment and Vocational
Training, Social Affairs, Women’s Empowerment and the Family, as well as Youth Affairs
and Civic Education; the still high cost of textbooks; limited availability of training materials
on national integration; the student-teacher ratio still remains high; lack of coordination
and visibility of numerous projects carried out on the field by partners so as to promote
access to education; absence of some teachers posted t remote areas; bottlenecks in the
process of providing the minimum package that makes it difficult for schools to function
smoothly; limited awareness-raising activities in certain schools and regions; nonprovision to all children trainers of teaching aid on the rights of the child.
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