Oe-Cusse, February 3, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The Maneo Organization was founded in 2014 with the aim of preventing the occurrence of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) which has been rampant in the special areas of Oe-Cusse, Ambeno, RAEOA, especially in 18 villages.
According to the Executive Director of the Maneo Association, Ramela da Costa, the Maneo Association was established to guarantee and prevent the problem of Gender-Based Violence that has occurred in families, conducting outreach through providing training so that it can reduce acts of violence at the community level.
“We also provide special training to families through training in two things, such as family training and men minimizing violence against women. In addition, we also carry out practical actions such as providing business training to women so that they can support technically and materially starting from creating a business, so that they can reduce dependence on men.” Said the Executive Director of the Maneo Association
She continued, when many cases occur because women only depend on men, so that violence against women is always carried out by men, however, the Maneo association continues to strive to bring the community into the advocacy process.
“The main cause of Gender Based Violence in Oe-cusse, Ambeno RAEOA which always occurs is first of all economic factors where women depend on men due to minimal income in the family so that domestic violence often occurs.” She said.
She said, other factors are that men are always drunk, like to gamble, and are suspicious of each other, which causes violence in the family.
“We see on the other hand, employees are also the cause of domestic violence problems and also the patriarchal system in Oe-cusse, RAEOA Ambeno is very high. So, this is the main cause of women’s power but men try to trample it. In Oe-cusse the number of these cases is very high because every year civil society conducts socialization about the anti-domestic violence law, so that women are also ready to sue the relevant parties for the cases they face.” She added.
She emphasized that in Oe-Cusse cases of violence continue to increase because men’s awareness is still minimal, so violence always occurs, sometimes receiving threats from women, men cannot control their emotions so that physical violence occurs against women.
“Maneo Association works together with men to hold training activities entitled “Men Reduce Violence against Women” which means that problems and all forms of violence must be resolved through good communication so that problems that occur in the family can be resolved properly.” She said.
She added that the family course and the reduction of violence against women including GBV training had changed because Maneo involved participants not from harmonious families but families who always faced violence. Maneo invited them to join this training.
“The changes that we see are some of the approaches that we use as a Gender learning system have several types, so that participants begin to learn how to improve the attitude system that they have adapted,” She said.
She emphasized that it has changed because previously men could not wash dishes, but through the training activities they learned, they were able to change the way men think to help their wives with household chores such as cooking, taking care of children, etc. When women are involved in a group, household chores that are usually not done by men can now be done by them.
To further explain that in order to commemorate Human Rights Day which falls on December 10, the Maneo Association always invites men to provide training so that they can change their attitudes and pass on their knowledge to other men both at the village and regional levels.
Reported by : Nelfiano
Picture by : Nelfiano