ONLINE AWARENESS ON GBV AND MENTAL HEALTH
My motivation to do the project was the sudden increase in the number of reported cases of Gender based violence in my community, and seeing the mental health effects it has on survivors. The goal is to create a society that is informed and where individuals can stand up for their rights, curbing the rising statistics of GBV cases, as well as to secure the mental health of survivors and create a conducive and sustainable society where all individuals can thrive.
This project was executed through an online webinar. A google meet link was created and shared through social media platforms via my personal page, facebook, whatsapp and LinkedIn. We had individuals from different parts of the country joining the meeting that started at 8pm and ended at 10pm. A total of 38 participants were in the online meeting. The webinar was led by an expert in the field, Mr. Frank Odhiambo a psychologist and GBV expert in Coptic Hospital, Nairobi.
I learnt that most people do not have a clear understanding of aspects such as the meaning and different forms of Gender-based violence, which include intimate partner violence, domestic violence, economic violence, and sexual violence, and how they are manifested. It is important to continue facilitating such conversations to enhance understanding of this societal issue and how it can be prevented, i.e, through creating awareness and conducting GBV Awareness workshops to equip individuals with the knowledge of Gender-based violence and how to stop it. Deeper conversations are needed as well to help people appreciate the different views on the issue of Gender-based violence and how it affects mental health.
Moving forward, I would make the project better by sharing educational materials before the online webinar so that the audience can come in equipped with at least the knowledge of what is going to be discussed, facilitating deeper conversations.
