Supporting women in front-line response
Colombia | 2022-2023 | CERF
Colombia, Chocó and Nariño. In a crisis, women and girls often suffer disproportionately. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened structural inequalities and women’s access to healthcare and other support.
UN Women has focused on strengthening women’s role in recovery from Covid and other disasters and resilience in the face of crises to come.
With funding from CERF, UNWomen implemented the multiple country “Together Saving Lives” project in Bangladesh, Cameroon, Colombia, Ethiopia, Myanmar and oPt. The programme focused on violence prevention, women’s empowerment, livelihoods and rights in emergency contexts.
In Colombia, the programme brought together nearly 3,000 women from seventeen local and regional organizations for training and knowledge sharing.
In Chocó department, the pandemic saw a marked increase in cases of gender-based and family-based violence, and limited access to reproductive services. In Nariño, heavily affected by violence and displacement, women faced increased sexual and gender-based violence.
The programme brought together civil society leaders such as Yaila Mena. “We built alliances to help protect ourselves and lead. Walking together – not one behind another but side by side – we can help our region move forward.”
Participants noted the importance of bringing Afro and indigenous women to the table, as Luz Iliana Carpio, explained. “These projects help more women raise their voice, and it’s critical that the work keeps spreading and reaching other women and territories.”
The project continues and aims to reach about 12,000 women and children to address the worst impacts of violence.
Original story: adapted from original article by UN WOMEN