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Cooking,
cleaning and other household chores are amongst the many things traditional Cameroon
men will not agree to do talk less of accompanying their pregnant wives for
Ante Natal Care (ANC) which is traditionally perceived as a woman’s business. In
a typical Mbororo or Fulani community in Cameroon, it is considered a taboo to
see a man moving side-by-side his pregnant wife or assisting her with household
chores.
During
a recent visit on the 4th of September 2014 to Wum in Menchum division,
Northwest Region of Cameroon, I came across a group of men known as the Trinity
Men Engagement Group. According to Winner, the group’s coordinator, the choice
of the name ‘Trinity’ is a representation of the three components of the family
made up of father, mother and children.
With
no religious or political affiliations, the objective of the group is to empower
men to take positive actions in increasing ANC culture, preventing mother to
child transmission of HIV AIDS and engage men for gender transformation.
With
15 active members already, the impact of Trinity Men Engagement Group in Wum is
widely felt but interpreted differently. While wives and families are elated
with the positive change that the group has brought in the lives of the men and
their families, other men particularly those who do not share its vision perceive the group as an ‘embarrassment’ to
the male folk.
Plan Cameroon steps in
In
a bid to increase from 35% to 45% the average proportion of pregnant women who
attend antenatal visits (ANC) and complete HIV testing package (counselling,
testing and results) in Wum district, Plan Cameroon engages men as a tool to
achieve sustainable behaviour change. This long
term process that began with sensitization is envisaged to evolve into gender
transformative programing when men will begin to challenge gender stereotypes
and seek solutions about their own beliefs and behaviour.
Talking
to hilltopvoices, Aminu, the President of Trinity Men Engagement Group
described Plan Cameroon as a great companion in the realization of their objectives
as many of his fellow Mbororo and Fulani men now accompany their wives for ANC.
He added that the positive impact in the lives of the group members has also
had a snow ball effect in the community with many other men copying this
admirable example. While noting that the group has been very helpful to him, Aminu
enjoined the men ‘to be together and to be able to assist one another
financially when the need arises’. Another
member of the group, Mustafa, noted that to increase the income of group
members, ‘we run a small thrift and loan scheme in which we assist our members
financially’. We are also considering creating similar groups in other areas of
the division’. On his part Mathias, a member of the group acknowledged that the
lessons learned from the training sessions during the group meetings; with the
support of Plan Cameroon have ‘improved his relationship with his wife and
children’. According to members of Trinity Men Engagement Group, they have to
be examples to other men and promote gender equality through their
lifestyle.
(*Name
of individuals has been changed)