Monrovia- The Spotlight Initiative through UNFPA has provided deployment kits for 105 Mental Health Clinicians and Social Workers through the Mental Health and Psychosocial (MHPSS) Pillar under the supervision of the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection.
This is part of efforts to support the mental health and psychosocial needs of COVID-19 survivors, affected communities as well as survivors of sexual and gender based violence.
In addition to the deployment kits, UNFPA also presented a Backup Server and accessories to the Gender Based Violence Incident Management System, GBVIMS, Unit to enhance GBV data collection, analysis and dissemination, according to a UNFPA press release.
The deployment kits include rain gears, nose masks, hand sanitizers, and visibility jackets, etc.
The Mental Health Clinicians and Social Workers were recently trained in collaboration with UNICEF, the Carter Center and the Ministry of Health.
Speaking recently at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town while handing the items to officially handover to Madam Alice Johnson-Howard, Deputy Minister for Gender and Acting Ministerof Gender, Children and Social Protection, UNFPA Representative Dr. Bannet Ndyanabangi said the Spotlight Initiative would continue support all interventions geared at the reduction of the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices and increase in women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
In response, the Deputy Minister for Gender and Acting Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, lauded the EU funded Spotlight Initiative and the United Nations for supporting the Government’s to tackle violence against women and girls and ensure women’s quality access to sexual and reproductive health services especially during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to the training and provision of deployment kits to the 105 Mental Health Clinicians and Social Workers, the Spotlight Initiative is also providing transportation allowance and recharge cards to the 105 MHPSS service providers involved with the response in the five Spotlight counties.
Since the discovery of the first COVID-19 positive in Liberia, the Spotlight Initiative through the UN has stepped up efforts to ensure that its support toward the reduction in the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices and increase women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and rights in Liberia remains on track.
Key among these efforts is the support to UNFPA for the establishment of a fully equipped maternal and child care unit and an operating theater at the main COVID-19 treatment unit at the 14 Military Hospital to provide antenatal care, delivery, emergency obstetric care, and postnatal care services for pregnant COVID-19 infected women admitted at the center.
Additionally, the Spotlight Initiative supported the deployment of a roving maternity team to provide care for quarantine pregnant women at Points-of-Cares (POCs), and within the communities. The roving team was comprised of trained midwives under the supervision of the Family Health Division at the Ministry of Health.
The Spotlight Initiative is an EU – UN global partnership to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, launched in June 2019 by the Government of Liberia, European Union, Civil Society Organizations and the United Nations in Liberia.
The Spotlight Initiative aims through priority interventions to prevent and respond to sexual gender based violence, sexual reproductive health and rights and harmful practices against women and girls by addressing structural causes across six key Pillars of; legislative and policy framework; institutional strengthening; changing norms and behaviors; delivery of essential services; management of data and strengthening women’s movements and civil society organizations.
Notes to the Editor
- The purpose of the programme is to reduce the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices and increase women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
- The programme is being implemented in the five most-affected counties (Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Lofa, Montserrado and Nimba) which have almost 75% of the total population of Liberia.
- The program was formulated through an extensive and inclusive participatory process, which identified the priority interventions to tackle violence against women and girls by addressing structural causes, thus ensuring sustainability.
- The programme is governed by a Joint Steering Committee co-chaired by the Government of Liberia (Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection) and UN Resident Coordinator.
- The Joint Steering Committee will provide overall strategic direction; guide policy-setting and make decisions for collective results.
- Committee members includes representatives from the EU, Sweden, Ireland, CSOs, women’s groups and relevant Government Ministries; and Heads of Agencies of the Recipient United Nations Organizations including UN Women, UNFPA, UNDP, UNICEF and OHCHR and associated Agencies like IOM and UNHCR.
- The six key Pillars of intervention are:
- Legislative and Policy Framework
- Institutional Strengthening
- Prevention: Changing Norms and Behaviours
- Response: Delivery of quality essential services
- Management of Data and Information
- Strengthening Women’s Movement and Civil Society Organizations
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