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KENYA/SUDAN/CAMEROON - International Women's Day demonstrations

KENYA

Kenyan women shouted slogans during a march to mark International Women’s Day in Nairobi, Kenya. Hundreds of women marched in downtown Nairobi highlighting domestic violence, sexual attacks and oppression in jobs and wages.

Women protested against violence on women in Kenya’s capital. “We haven’t gotten to a stage where women are comfortable to come out and say, ‘I was sexually abused,’” said a protester.

SUDAN

Women in the capital city of Sudan, Khartoum, protested on 8th of March in front of the Justice Ministry headquarters. They directed their demands against the patriarchal "public order" law, to imprison women for "indecent and immoral acts". Another main point was a lack of legislation against sexual harassment.

Sudanese activists protested against the Personal Status Law, against the articles on alimony, child custody, marriage age and travel permission. In this law it is allowed to get married from the age of 10. "This is why Sudan has registered the highest number of female child marriage in the world", an activist noted.

CAMEROON

In Cameroon women (especially mothers) stormed the streets in Douala, Littoral region of Cameroon on 8th of March, to protest against the Government's inability to solve the Anglophone crisis and the death of many civilians, including women. Their protest was also directed against the harsh conditions living in the bushes. Hundreds of women boycotted the official "celebration" marking the 35th celebration of International Women's Day in that part of the country. The women shouted songs and slogans demanding from the government to protect and respect the rights of women in the society.

One women from the protest said: “dressing in black on the 8th of March 2020 in Cameroon conveys a message of mourning, pain and profound agony as a result of the killings in the Anglophone and Far North regions of Cameroon. With the killings and destructions in Cameroon, there is nothing women can really celebrate on.”

There was also held an national assembly with more than 20.000 of women on the question of women rights and education. The women came from all over the country, especially rural areas.

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