Omar Bongo University Students To Support Victims Of Gender Based Violence In Gabon

A civil society outfit, Coordination Gabon-Egalite, is recruiting 24 masters degree students in law from the Omar Bongo University to support victims of gender based violence in their fight for justice from administrative and judicial jurisdictions in the country.

The recruitment exercise was launched on Thursday, Feb. 10  as part of efforts by Gabon-Egalite to ensure justice for victims which include those linked to the creation of judicial clinics and centres that would handle cases of women victims of violence in Owendo, Akanda, and Libreville.

“Application files addressed to the Dean of the Faculty of Law and Economic Sciences of the Omar Bongo University must imperatively comprise of the following documents: a letter of motivation, a legalised copy of birth certificate, a non-conviction certificate, a student identity card, an attestation of school attendance and two passport-size photographs,” a document by the Coordination Gabon-Egalite revealed. 

Gabon-Egalite, by this programme, intends to reduce the inequalities between men and women and it is based on several aspects including violence against women, access to education, access to health facilities, rights of the family and participation in economic activities.

Fifty-four per cent of women in Gabon say they have suffered physical violence during their lifespan.

According to a sampling of opinions by Afrobarometre on sexual equality in Africa published in Oct. 2019, tolerance of violence against women affects seven citizens out of 10 in Gabon, which is 70 per cent of the population.