OPENING STATEMENT BY THE RESIDENT COORDINATOR ON THE LAUNCH OF THE PBF PROJECT ‘STRENGTHENING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS TO PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION PLAN ON UNSCR 1325 AND THE TRRC WHITE PAP

The Honorable Minister, Ministry of Gender Children and Social Welfare

UNFPA Country Representative,

Representatives of Civil Society Organizations,

The Media,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Implementing partners,

All protocols observed.

Distinguished guests, Ladies, and gentlemen,

Good morning.

I am honored and pleased to address you today during this ceremony marking the official launch of this very important and timely PBF project on Strengthening Civil Society Organizations to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment through the implementation of the Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 and the TRRC White Paper Recommendations'

The United Nations through the peacebuilding fund has and continues to demonstrate strong commitment to support the government, civil society organizations and peacebuilding practitioners in the Gambia in efficiently contributing towards the country’s transition and reform agenda.

We would like to express our deep appreciation for the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Welfare for their invaluable efforts and leadership in the development of this project. We recognize the crucial role that the ministry will play in coordinating the project steering committee and providing oversight throughout the project's duration.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will be leading the implementation of this timely project, which has received funding of $2.5 million. Over a period of 36 months, UNFPA, with the support of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), will work diligently to ensure the successful realization of project objectives.

The partnership between the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare and UNCT signifies a strong commitment to advancing gender equality, empowering women, and improving the lives of children and vulnerable groups. By working together, we aim to address the pressing challenges and promote sustainable development in the areas of gender, children's rights, and social welfare.

The project will enhance the institutional capacity of civil society organizations to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, especially in rural areas, and augment solidarity among civil society organizations. Furthermore, it will strengthen the operational capacity of women-led and women-focused civil society organizations (CSOs), including Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) in addressing women related concerns for the optimization of Gender equality and women empowerment programming. It will do so by supporting the implementation of the Gambia National Action Plan for UNSCR 1325, as well as Gender equality and women empowerment-related elements of the TRRC White Paper recommendations.

The project will leverage the comparative advantage of CSOs in promoting peacebuilding and sustainable development through advocacy, community actions, and monitoring of government policies. It will adopt an approach, emphasizing bottom-up participation and the role of community-based organizations in designing processes for sustainable results.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

The democratic transitional period in The Gambia has indeed evidenced relative vulnerabilities due to many reasons including poor governance, low awareness on civil, political, and social rights, perpetration of human rights violations Including Sexual and Gender based Violence as evidenced by the testimonies of women victims during the TRRC hearings.

This has resulted in the narrowing of civic space, including freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association and access to information, leading to an unsafe and insecure environment especially for human rights defenders who subsequently required protection. The 2019 Conflict and Development Analysis (CDA) recognized that conflicts in The Gambia have specific impact on women, youth, and children.

By strengthening the role and capacity of CSOs, particularly women-led and women-focused organizations, this project will create an enabling environment where gender equality and women empowerment are realized, ensuring the meaningful participation of women and girls in peace and security processes, and preventing violence against them.

The Gambian government has made significant progress in protecting women’s rights through upholding their obligations towards human rights treaties and conventions, including the Universal Declaration for Human Rights, which we celebrate its 75th anniversary this year and enacting several laws and policies including the National Gender Policy. The Gambia’s Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 is entering the third year of its five-year timeframe, which ideally positions this three-year project to provide timely impetus and support to achieving its objectives.

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

This project will ensure the capacity of CSOs, especially women-led and women-focused organizations are enhanced and the Gambia National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 and the GEWE aspects of the TRRC White Paper Recommendations are effectively implemented.

I thank you all for your participation and congratulate once again the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Welfare for taking on the task to steer the cause and coordinate delivery of the results we all anticipate from this project. Together, we can create a world where every woman and girl can fully enjoy their human rights, contribute to their communities, and shape a brighter future for all.

Thank you.