On 8 July, UN Women launched a new project entitled "Promoting the socio-economic recovery and resilience of internally displaced and repatriated women and girls in Northern Mozambique", in the province of Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique in partnership with the Northern Integrated Development Agency (ADIN) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
H.E. António Njanje Taímo Supeia - Secretary of State for the Province of Cabo Delgado presided over the launch ceremony and gave the opening speech. During the ceremony, he officially handed over equipment worth around nine million meticais, given by UN Women to the Department for Assistance to Families and Minors Victims of Violence as a way of ensuring institutional strengthening for the protection of women and girls.
During the launch of the project, Marie Laetitia Kayisire, UN Women Representative in Mozambique said, "We are gathered here today to sign and celebrate the renewal of our efforts to maintain gender commitment in humanitarian coordination mechanisms and provide women and girls affected by conflict with psychosocial support, livelihood assistance, technical-vocational training, financial literacy and business management."
With a budget of USD 6,000,000.00 (six million US dollars), the project is funded by KOICA and aims to ensure that internally displaced and returnee women and girls in Cabo Delgado lead and benefit from humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts implemented as a result of the violent conflicts and terrorist acts that have plagued the province for over 5 years.
The money will be used for a series of reconstruction and empowerment activities for 93,400 women and girls affected by the conflict who face multiple vulnerabilities in the districts of Palma, Mocímboa da Praia, Nangade, Muidumbe, Macomia and Quissanga in Cabo Delgado province.
The President of ADIN, Jacinto Lapido Loureiro, who also took part in the event, stressed that, "There can be no development without the economic and social empowerment of women. Women are the key to society's progress. Women are the core of the family. Let's support the women of the northern region. Let's support the development of northern Mozambique."
Other attendees at the project launch included: Deputy Director of KOICA – Mozambique, Gyeong-jin Noh; Director of Transport and Communication Nelson Pereira, representing the Governor of the Province; Director of the Provincial Directorate of Gender, Child, and Social Action, Kiliriana Alberto Mbule; Administrators and Permanent Secretaries of the districts of Quissanga, Macomia, Muidumbe, Nangade, Palma, and Mocímboa da Praia; representatives of several United Nations agencies operating in Cabo Delgado; and representatives of civil society organizations.
UN Women has been a vital partner of KOICA in developing and implementing policies and interventions aimed at creating positive social change and promoting women’s empowerment. This new funding agreement between UN Women and KOICA marks a significant step in promoting gender-sensitive humanitarian action and the reconstruction of Cabo Delgado.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Women - Africa.