Chad: 16-day campaign against violence against women and girls launched in Abeche

On Thursday, November 26, 2025, the Abéché Social Center hosted the launch ceremony of the 16 Days of Activism campaign against gender-based violence (GBV) in the Ouara department.

The meeting was chaired by the Secretary General of Ouara department, Mahamat Ali Imam, in the presence of local authorities and government partners, notably the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The national theme for this year's event is: "Preventing violence against women and girls for sustainable development", while the international theme focuses on "Ending gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities".

In his speech, Mahamat Ali Imam recalled that gender-based violence is still very much alive in Ouaddaï province, affecting all milieus without distinction. He called for the silence to be broken, and for cases of violence to be systematically reported, in order to remove the barriers holding back the development of girls and women. He also stressed the need to facilitate the work of the justice system, so that perpetrators and their accomplices are prosecuted and punished in accordance with the law.

The Secretary General emphasized that this international campaign, which takes place every year from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to December 31 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), is an opportunity for the international community to show its support for the fight against violence against women. December 10 (Human Rights Day), is a reminder that violence against women is a serious violation of fundamental human rights.

Speaking on behalf of the Ouaddaï Provincial Delegate for Women, Mahamat Tahir Doutoum recalled the main forms of gender-based violence frequently observed in the region: psychological violence, physical violence, rape and attempted rape, denial of resources, female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage. He invited communities, traditional and religious leaders, as well as civil society organizations, to become more involved in prevention, awareness-raising and the protection of survivors.

The ceremony was marked by advocacy messages, awareness-raising sessions and exchanges with participants on mechanisms for handling and reporting cases of gender-based violence in the Ouara department.

Source: www.alwihdainfo.com/