Tag Archives: GBV

Italy provides UNFPA 400,000 EUR to Women and Girls First Programme – Phase II

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Joint Press Release UNFPA Myanmar – Italian Embassy in Myanmar – AICS Yangon

Yangon, Myanmar, 27th October — Ms. Alessandra Schiavo, Italian Ambassador to Myanmar and Mr. Ramanathan Balakrishnan, UNFPA Representative for Myanmar signed an agreement for a grant of 400,000 Euro. This funding is to support UNFPA’ Women and Girls First Programme – Phase II (2020 – 2022).

The funding allows UNFPA to continue critical interventions to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV), ensure access to mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services for women, girls, young people in conflict-affected areas, including elderly women, women and girls with disability, LGBTQIA+ and marginalized groups. Bridging the humanitarian, peacebuilding and development nexus, the Women and Girls First Programme is benefitting targeted population across Kachin, Rakhine, Shan, Mon, Kayin and Kayah States.

COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted access to life-saving SRHR, GBV and MHPSS services needed for women, girls and young people in conflict-affected areas. Women and girls are at greater risk of experiencing gender-based violence; adolescents and young people encounter limited access to sexual and reproductive health information, when movement is restricted, livelihoods disrupted and protection systems weakened.

Mr. Ramanathan Balakrishnan said, “Italian Funding for Women and Girls First Programme is coming at the right time. The contribution enables us to ensure continuity of UNFPA support on critical services of GBV and MHPSS to meet the essential needs of conflict-affected women, girls and young people through the programme. With our expertise and strong relationship with local partners, we will invest more in women and girls to further strengthening women empowerment, gender equality, providing access to SRHR and MHPSS services, and encouraging positive social norm changes to prevent GBV in the community.”

UNFPA, United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, continues to deliver critical and life-saving GBV, MHPSS and SRHR services for the most vulnerable women and girls through 33 Women and Girls Centers and mobile and static clinics in Rakhine, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon and Shan States.

“Italy intends to contribute to a better future for all women and girls in this Country. The positive results achieved during the first phase of its implementation made Women and Girls First one of the flagship programs in Myanmar for promoting the advancement of women’s right. I am truly honoured to sign this agreement and work in this direction” said H.E. Alessandra Schiavo, Italian Ambassador to Myanmar.

“The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) is fully aligned to the 2030 Agenda. Through this initiative AICS is reaffirming its commitment to end violence against women and girls, reinforcing the peacebuilding component in the humanitarian and development nexus, and also responding to the current health crisis” affirmed Mr. Walter Zucconi, Head of Office at AICS Yangon.

Italy provided 800,000 Euro to Women and Girls First Programme Phase I during 2016-2019. The Women and Girls First Programme is supported by Australia, the EU, Finland, Germany, Italy and Sweden.

Women and Girls First (Phase 2):a new edition of a flagship program in Myanmar for promoting the advancement of women’s rights

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On July 31st 2020 the Italian Development Cooperation Joint Committee approved a 400,000 Euro contribution to Phase II of the Women & Girls First programme (WGF), reaffirming its commitment to ensuring access to sexual and reproductive rights for women and girls in Myanmar. The initiative is executed by UNFPA with oversight and governance from a multi-donor trust fund.

The main goal of the WGF project is to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health rights for marginalized women and girls in Rakhine, Kachin and Northern Shan states.

The programme commenced in 2015 with pledges from several donors and an overall budget of 12 million dollars. Italy has funded the project since its start with two contributions of 400,000 Euro each in 2015 and 2017.

“Italy has supported this initiative since the beginning and significant results have already been achieved, specifically, the creation of standard operational procedures for GBV case management and the enhancement of sexual and reproductive health services for women victims of violence. This have paved the way for a second phase that will definitely contribute to improved gender equality in Myanmar” said Mr. Walter Zucconi, Head of Office of Italian Development Agency in Yangon, commenting on the renewed Italian pledge and contribution for WGF Phase II.

The initiative is fully aligned with the 2030 Agenda SDGs, especially with Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages, Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls and Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions. While enhancing the sustainability of previous activities, the program aims to reinforce the peacebuilding component in the humanitarian and development nexus, thus ensuring comprehensive relief for women and girls living in conflict areas. In the states of Rakhine, Kachin and Northern Shan women do not fully enjoy their rights and are more likely to be affected by high poverty and low literacy rates in the context of continuous fighting. These dynamics reinforce cultural stereotypes of women, and GBV rates are higher in these areas compared to the rest of the country.

Assistance and support to women survivors of violence in conflict zones represents one of the specific objectives of the initiative through Centers for Women (WGF Centers), mental health and psycho-social support and dignity kits in IDPs camps.

In addition, the second phase of the programme will continue to support the Government of Myanmar and its commitment to fully implement the National Strategic Plan for the Advancement of Women (NSPAW) and to advocate for the adoption of a Law on Prevention of Violence Against Women (PoVAW) that complies with international human rights standards and protocols.

Thanks to the positive results obtained during the first phase, Women & Girls First has become one of the flagship programs in Myanmar for promoting the advancement of women’s rights. On this solid foundation, the second phase of the initiative will reach more beneficiaries in more townships and have a total budget of 22 million dollars thanks to new donors such as the European Union.

The initiative is part of the #TeamEurope Covid-19 response, as it is aimed at mitigating some of the effects of the pandemic. The project is an important measure to respond to the current health crisis, which is one more hazard for women in vulnerable situations, especially for those living in IDPs camps that lack basic sanitation.