Buokejung Nsen Abeng is a lawyer and the national coordinator at Civitas Cameroon, where she promotes and protects human rights, the rule of law, democracy and the environment, with the aim of helping Cameroon meet its obligations under international, regional and national human rights frameworks. An expert in human rights and humanitarian action, she holds a bachelors degree in law from the University of Buea, Cameroon; a post-graduate diploma in law from the University of Dschang, Cameroon; and a masters degree in human rights and humanitarian action from the Catholic University of Central Africa.  

Buokejung promotes gender equality by advocating against practices that impede the growth and development of women and girls as equal members of society. She conducts campaigns, workshops, research, advocacy and cooperation with other national and international civil society groups and partners. She coordinated a flagship initiative, #EmpowerAWoman, through advocacy for the promotion of the human rights of women and girls, the elimination of all forms of gender-based violence, gender equality and non-discrimination.  

IVLP Impact Award Project: Preventing Gender-Based Violence by Empowering Internally Displaced Women

This project increased awareness of access to lifesaving response services for internally displaced women and girls in Yaoundé, Cameroon at risk of gender-based violence. The human rights and humanitarian crisis in the northwest and southwest regions of the country and the Boko-Haram insurgency in the north have aggravated and elevated the level of gender-based violence.

Fifty-three people (40 of them internally displaced) participated in a workshop focusing on strengthening the capacity of internally displaced women and girls to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in their communities. Victims of gender-based violence received psychosocial support from trained counsellors.

"Participants appreciated the workshop for making them realize clearly what they had been through, and they came out with a much greater commitment to fight against all forms of GBV." - Buokejung Nsen Abeng

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Buokejung participated in the IVLP Project Ending Gender-Based Violence organized by the U.S. Department of State and World Learning, in partnership with Vermont Council on World Affairs, WorldBoston, International Focus, Inc. and Global New Orleans.

Buokejung's exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award Project: "IVLP was a great experience as it improved my advocacy skills in ending Gender-Based Violence using cultural specificity."

U.S. Communities Visited Virtually

Washington, DC; New Orleans, LA; Boston, MA; Raleigh, MC; Burlington, VT

Country: Cameroon

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