Sweden focuses on vulnerable women in Yemen
The Swedish Agency for International Development Cooperation (Sida) has announced a grant of USD 3.3 million to help UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, provide life-saving protection services to the most vulnerable women and girls.
Women and girls are among the most vulnerable in the Yemen crisis. The relocation and collapse of security mechanisms, driven by nearly seven years of conflict, has drastically increased women’s and girls’ vulnerability to violence and abuse. An estimated 6.1 million women are in urgent need of protection.
Life is extremely challenging
“Women and girls continue to be disproportionately affected by the many misery facing Yemen. The effects of the pandemic, economic downturn and continued displacement continue to make life extremely challenging. Far too many women and girls are also victims of gender-based violence. We are proud “We must lay a foundation on which women and girls in Yemen can thrive and prosper,” said Maria Selin, Sida’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, based at the Swedish Embassy in Amman.
This latest funding would support an estimated 60,000 women and girls with specialized women’s protection services and will help around 1,000 women seeking such services to start their own businesses. The program will engage with community leaders, police, lawyers and humanitarian actors to address women’s protection issues in the country.
Generous support
“UNFPA is deeply encouraged by Sweden’s generous support for our efforts to help the most vulnerable women and girls in Yemen,” said Nestor Owomuhangi, UNFPA’s representative in Yemen. “The latest funding will lead to more people – especially more women and more girls – benefiting from the protection services and livelihood support they urgently need at this time.”
Sweden has been one of the largest contributors to UNFPA’s protection program in Yemen, contributing almost $ 13 million since 2017, and in turn helping to reach hundreds of thousands of women and girls with protection information and services.
UNFPA leads the coordination and provision of protection services throughout the country. UNFPA is also the only provider of life-saving drugs for reproductive health in Yemen.