Giving young women a voice on world pulse

The publication, inviting applications on a one year board training position on the theme: “Giving global women a voice on the World Pulse board of directors”, is a laudable initiative. It has always been my desire to be part of an enterprise that advocates for African led thinking, grounded in African realities; facing African challenges with an African perspective. For the past four years, I have been actively advocating against violence on women and children in my community especially to young people; through collaboration with some Clubs / Associations of University of Buea and other civil society associations, for which more than fifty youths, particular women have been groomed on some basic skills on fighting against domestic and other forms of violence on women.

Furthermore, my activism has led me create a web show; www.zoneziwohshow.com, while also using some Local, social and online medias (for example www.thesop.org , www.worldpulsewire.com ) to blog interactively, on issues affecting women and girls in my locality, Buea, Cameroon at large e.g. Africa for Women. http://www.worldpulse.com/node/14250 However, seeing that the society within which I work is rife with total absence of sustain gender oriented policies for women to fully attain their rights, besides, timidity, legal illiteracy, ignorant which also limits most community women from expressing themselves effectively in the society; I am always encouraging women of my community, to Initiate and / or participate in programmes (Seminars, Conferences, Educational talks etc) where women and girls in particular can express themselves, learn lessons and share challenging experiences on gender issues, child protection and community development.
I strongly believe that being a young woman who has developed the understanding to explore initiatives which support peace and development especially those that empower women to speak for themselves; expanding the knowledge for a vision of positive change with other women, as well as developing the ability to negotiate policies and to prevent and manage these conflicts. Thus, the opportunity presented is very helpful to our women as this will create an enabling environment for ideas, capacity building for independent thinking, and the space for my community to represent their voices strategically, here on pulsewire through its board director.

Therefore, as a young ardent gender advocate and a social entrepreneur, I dream to see young people proactively involved in taking the lead to fight against Gender Based Violence and its intolerable outcomes ( increased mortality, depression, disorder, lowers of self esteem among others) through new and effective modes of expression.

The above are parts of a limitless scope of my engagements. Other areas of my engagement involve fight against Female Genital Mutilation, HIV/AIDS, the fight for more women involvement in political life and debates, and so on.

It would however be pretentious to propound that my actions are sufficient and have reached their optimum. Far from it; I am still in need of training, in-depth experience and contacts with resource persons in order to enable me pursue these activities with firm feet. A domain in which I could no doubt to improve is that on giving young women a voice: A Tool for Good Leadership;

While look forward to speaking with you, do accept my sincere gratitude.

Zoneziwoh Mbondgulo