Statement by UN Resident Coordinator,  Ms. Seraphine Wakana, MOWCSW Stakeholders Meeting 2020 

• Your Excellencies 
• Honorable Vice President of The Gambia, Dr. Isatou Touray 
• Honorable Minister of Women, Children and Social Welfare, Madam Fatou Kinteh 
• UN Colleagues, 
• Other Government Officials Present 
• All Protocols Duly and Respectfully Observed 

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen 

Thank you for this opportunity to give a statement on behalf of the UN Family in The Gambia at this Stakeholders’ Consultation Meeting, which follows approval from Cabinet of the Strategic and Investment Plan of the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare 2021-2025.  

The Strategic and Investment Plan of the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare 2021-2025 consolidates work to support the Ministry to execute its mandate anchored on informed decision making, which will lead to greater coherence in implementation.  

Undoubtedly, the Ministry has very challenging tasks ahead, as a strategy is as good as the results it is able to yield, but I am confident that you will adopt a balanced approach as evidenced by the wide array of thematic areas, which we will be discussing in today’s consultation. 

This remarkable initiative speaks to the global relevance of these themes. Today, we are here to explore concrete linkages and leverage the synergies amongst the themes. At the UN, we stipulate our commitment to extend capacity development efforts and on behalf of the UN Family, I would like to reaffirm the United Nations commitment to promoting gender equality, women empowerment and protecting the rights of children and other vulnerable groups as the backbone of the United Nations endeavours. This is captured in all of the SDGs agreed on “The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” which world leaders have made ambitious commitments to achieve.  

The UN has a long history of supporting Member States on financing for development, including through intergovernmental processes, technical and programmatic expertise, partnership-building, thought-leadership and knowledge sharing. 

In recognizing the complexity and interconnectedness of systemic challenges women, children and other vulnerable groups face in The Gambia, this ambitious and well-articulated Strategic and Investment Plan seeks to address existing inequalities that threaten to hinder the realization of the SDGs on poverty eradication, promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth, and tackling gender equality among others. 

Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic is a multiplier of vulnerabilities and inequalities. As it is often the case, the most vulnerable segments of our society, are being hit the hardest by the pandemic. Strategies and targeted responses should therefore be designed to cater to these groups through strengthened social safety-networks. 

Thus, as the world responds to this pandemic and seeks to restore global prosperity, it is important to address the underlying causes of inequalities through the lens of the SDGs. It must be noted that the erosion of several SDGs gains by the pandemic should spur us to accelerate our efforts during this “Decade of Action” to recover and build forward better. 

To successfully attain the 2030 Agenda/SDGs, the need to identify the drivers that prevent achieving the SDGs and to tackle each driver separately is of paramount significance. Inequality and inadequate domestic resource mobilization policies are some key drivers. I am therefore well pleased to note that these two drivers are being addressed today, in this forum, by the MoWCSW. 

The role of finance is key for catalyzing impact investment and providing capital for achieving the SDGs. SDG17 calls for strong partnerships at the global, regional, national and local levels, essential for any resource mobilization strategy. It is the bridge to a more resilient future since the pandemic and the ensuing confinement reveals an escalation of vices including GBV. This proves that the cost of COVID-19 has become too hefty to continue ignoring it. 

Significant strides have been taken to launch and support the GBV Hotline among other recovery plans in The Gambia; however, ensuring that this re-imagining yields concrete change will require ambitious, holistic, forward-looking and coordinated action from all key stakeholders. They would also provide answers to legitimacy concerns integrating the SDGs in post-pandemic plans. 

To effectively assist Member States to realize the transformative 2030 Agenda, the UN will continue to work in partnership. Since no single SDG is the “mandate” of any particular agency, and no SDG can be excluded from the work of any UN system entity, inter-agency and system-wide collaboration and coordination will continue to be pursued.   

In the spirit of the One UN Family, we will continue to carry The Gambia to support the vulnerable groups in the pursuit of our common goal of Leaving No One Behind. We embark on the journey together and with you to further strengthen the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare. 

I look forward to the ensuing discussions and a productive outcome of our deliberations today. 

I thank you all for your kind attention.