UNIFEM Requests more than $4.1 Million to Support Women in Emergencies in Africa and Occupied Palestinian Territories
Date: 30 November 2006
New York — UNIFEM is requesting more than US$4.1 million as part of the 2007 Consolidated Appeal which was launched today in New York. The requested funding will go to support a total of eight projects in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Uganda, Somalia and the Great Lakes Region. Several initiatives are planned to be carried out in partnership with other agencies and NGOs.
Of the US$4.1 million asked for, more than US$1.4 million would go to support regional networking and advocacy on the rights of women affected by crisis in the Great Lakes Region. A particular focus would be on promoting ratification and implementation of legislation to protect women from sexual and gender-based violence and ensure the property rights of returning women refugees and internally displaced persons.
Another US$1.25 million has been requested for four projects in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to: i) provide academic counselling for rural women to increase their level of education and enhance opportunities on the job market; ii) establish and support psychosocial teams for family outreach as well as socio-legal defence centres to enhance the response to and protection against violence and abuse of children and women; iii) establish women's food production units to generate income and improve the nutrition of children; and iv) provide medical, psychosocial and legal assistance to Palestinian female prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons.
For both Somalia and Uganda, UNIFEM has asked for US$650,000 and US$725,000 respectively to help protect women and young girls from gender-based violence in IDP settlements as well as areas of return and improve services and response mechanisms. Another US$100,000 has been requested to help facilitate effective mainstreaming of gender in all aspects of the humanitarian response for Somalia.
Document Sources: United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
Subject: Situation in the OPT including Jerusalem, Women
Publication Date: 30/11/2006