Photo by Amin Ismail, UNAMID.
From 1 to 2 August, some 43 participants, including 11 men from Government offices, Ajaweed council and civil society organizations as well as members of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 State Committee and Gender Mediation Network, attended a workshop supported by UNAMID’s Gender Advisory Unit (GAU) in El Fasher, North Darfur.
The workshop, organized in partnership with the Ministry of Social Affairs, north Darfur, aimed at reactivating and enhancing the existent State Committee on Violence Against Women (VAW) including a specific focus on the State’s achievements and challenges on Gender Based violence (GBV) and developed a workplan for the Committee and relevant partners, to be implemented in the foreseeable future.
Representatives from UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women and UNDP briefed workshop participants on their respective mandates on gender, women and child protection issues including sexual and GBV. UNAMID Gender Advisory Unit, Human Rights Section and Child Protection Unit also briefed the participants on S/GBV and child protection issues.
Workshop participants called for the review and reform of all laws related to women and child issues and clear coordination with justice mechanisms to provide legal aid to victims of gender-based violence.
Addressing workshop participants, the Minister for Social Affairs in North Darfur, Mr. Yousif Ishag Adam, highlighted the need to curb harmful practices affecting women and girls and committed to provide his Ministry’s support to the UNSCR 1325 Committee to address these issues.
Speaking at the same occasion, the Director General in the Ministry of Social Affairs, north Darfur, Ms Nadra Mustaf, commended UNAMID and the UN Country Team for their continued support to State Committee on end violence against women, highlighted the importance of building the capacity of police women including reactivating and strengthening of the local committees to address gender issues.
Manal Ahmed, the Director of Family and Women’s Department in the Ministry of Social Affairs, north Darfur, stated that the workshop is part of ongoing efforts to build the capacity of members of the State Committee on violence against women in the state. “We call for effective coordination with the UN agencies and civil society organization to raise awareness among local communities to end violence against women,” Ms. Ahmed added.
Sudha Uprety, UNAMID representative, explained that the Mission’s Gender and Advisory Unit, regularly provides technical support to the state committee on Violence Against Women in line with UNSCR 1325 and UNAMID mandate.