In the sub-prefecture of Bamingui-Bangoran, where instability leaves women and girls at greater risk of gender-based violence, INTERSOS supported 80 adolescent girls through a three-month programme on rights, autonomy and self-confidence.
The sub-prefecture of Bamingui-Bangoran, in north-eastern Central African Republic, is marked by deep instability: armed groups operating in the area continue to cause clashes, robberies and population displacement. In such a fragile security environment, women and girls are particularly exposed to gender-based violence.
To reduce these risks, INTERSOS — with the support of the European Union — delivered the Girl Shine programme with 80 adolescent girls in Bamingui and in the village of Zoukoutouniala, 25 km from Ndélé. The programme is designed for girls aged 10 to 19 living in contexts of crisis, conflict or displacement, and includes educational modules that also involve parents and guardians, in order to strengthen participants’ skills, safety, autonomy and self-confidence.
In Bamingui and Zoukoutouniala the programme ran for three months and reached 40 girls aged 10 to 14 and 40 aged 15 to 19. Together with our field teams, they explored topics such as forced marriage, education, menstrual hygiene and the risks of gender-based violence they may face.
At the certificate ceremony, the girls performed a short play summarising what they had learned.
“I am very happy to have taken part in this training,” says Germaine Djaha, one of the participants from Bamingui. “I now know my rights as a girl, and I am also able to raise awareness among my peers about the problem of early marriage that persists in my community.”
In his address, the secretary general of the sub-prefecture of Bamingui, Michel Tomkounou, recalled that girls remain exposed to gender-based violence and female genital mutilation. Dropping out of school is still a real risk for many of them. All too often, the search for immediate financial support ends up compromising girls’ education, leading them into early or unchosen marriages.
For 2026, the humanitarian response plan for the Central African Republic identifies among its protection priorities the survival and well-being of crisis-affected populations, to be ensured through integrated and inclusive services that address the specific needs of women, men, children and young people, including persons with disabilities.
This is the direction in which INTERSOS continues to work in the sub-prefecture of Bamingui-Bangoran: reducing the risks of gender-based violence, improving access to support services, and making sure that every girl knows she has rights — and is able to exercise them.