UN Women Hands Over Office Equipment To Women Focused CSOs
By Marilyn King
The United Nation Women (UN Women) in collaboration with Peace Building Fund (PBF) and Irish Aid have handed over office equipment to Women Focused CSOs in Peace Building operating in Six (6) districts in the country.
The equipment are desktop computers, printers among others in order to set up their Secretariat to be functional in their peace building drive. The equipment were handed over to the focused groups by the Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Dr. Isata Mahoi.
The End Violence Against Women Program Specialist, Ella Syl Macfoy said that they are woring with 29 MDAs and that they are working in supporting and popularizing its implementation in different levels.
She continued that they are looking purely on elimination of violence against women in relation to prevention and response to work with the Irish Aid project.
She said the targeted centers are Matrujong, Karene, Moyamba, and Koinadugu.
She furthered that the Koinadogu OSC’s supported the Falaba District LGB steering committee.
She continued that they work with both One Stop Centers (OSC’s) on service provision and the LGB steering committee on prevention. She said they also work on women peace and security.
She noted that they will be presenting 700 dignitary kits, and that each of the seven One Stop center’s nationally will be getting a hundred dignitaries kits.
She maintained that they will be giving out two bikes and two computers for Koinadugu and Moyamba District OSC’s respectively.
She stated that the Irish Aid supported OSC’s internet modem, for both OSC’s and steering committee. She said they also supported them with refreshments that will go for the survivors that are coming from the remote and outreach communities.
She concluded that after the symbolic handing over they will go around and make the distributions to all the OSC’s.
The Officer in Charge of UN Women, Madam Baindu Massaquoi, handing over the equipment said that over the years they have realized that the capacity building that they have been giving CSO’s needs to create impact and that it is UN Women’s mandate to work with CSOs, and Women’s group that are actually in the districts, on the ground working to consolidate peace and security and promote the Women Peace and Security vision.
She said the forms that was provided for the procurement equipment are provided from the Peace Building Fund (PBF) project.
She also said that it is an honor for UN Women to support the programs.
She mentioned that they have many CSOs that don’t have any good equipment like computers, and they don’t have internet access, but they are doing great work.
The Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Madam Isata Mahoi, in her symbolic handing over said that they are projecting the visioning of what they want for women in Sierra Leone, how to protect them and also restore their dignity after going through some challenges.
She furthered that she is overwhelmed with UN Peace Building Fund project is giving to the women of Sierra Leone through her ministry.
She noted that she wants to see more of the collaboration, coordination and partnership for them to be able to achieve their dreams of having women that will be there for them tomorrow, and children that will be their future, that will be able to also work in the foot prints that they have left behind.
She continued that they want to see the CSO’s how they work together with UN Women in also enhancing their strength. She said without the CSO’s support UN Women will not be able to succeed.
The symbolic handing over Equipment by the Minister of Gender Children’ Affairs, climaxed the occasion.
