GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN AND UN WOMEN INCREASE LIVELIHOOD AND PROTECTION SERVICES FOR VULNERABLE WOMEN IN JORDAN
Date:
Amman, Jordan. The Government of Japan is partnering with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (UN Women) to increase protection referrals, awareness raising on gender-based violence, and psycho-social support vulnerable Syrian refugee women and girls. Through the UN Women’s Oasis centers located in the Za’atari and Azraq refugee camps, access to essential services will be complemented by life-sustaining assistance to support vulnerable women, especially female-headed households, in coping with the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Japan highly appreciates UNWOMEN for their dedication and leading role in ensuring access to various activities and protection for women in the refugee camp and host communities. Japan has supported the UNWOMEN’s project “Women's Leadership, Empowerment, Access and Protection (LEAP)” in Jordan since 2016. In January this year, we renewed our commitment to launching the fifth phase in order to enhance gender equalities and to support activities in “OASIS” center. I myself visited OASIS in both camps several times and confirmed that this project is really distinctive, constructive and valuable for protection and empowerment of refugee women. In particular, we believe that GBV related services for vulnerable women are much more critical and in greater needs under COVID-19 crisis. We sincerely hope that our assistance will contribute to helping women to access necessary services and opportunities, and to building resilience through realizing gender equality and empowerment of women." affirmed H.E. Mr. Hidenao Yanagi, Ambassador of Japan to Jordan.
Within the framework of the recently released Jordan Response Plan to the Syrian refugee crisis 2020-2022, the generous contribution from the Government of Japan will also allow UN Women to continue supporting women in the Oasis centers to access education opportunities, civic engagement and trainings, while engaging men and boys on issues related to gender-based violence. During the lockdown, UN Women leveraged its innovative blockchain cash-disbursement system as well as technology to disseminate reliable information on COVID-19 prevention and protection services made available by the Government of Jordan, the World Health Organization, and humanitarian partners.
“From sharing information on how to prevent the spread of the virus to supporting parents and their children with remote learning during the lockdown, women refugees have stepped up to protect their families and their communities’ said Mr. Ziad Sheikh, UN Women Jordan Representative. ‘We are deeply grateful to the Government of Japan for its significant and sustained support over many years to our humanitarian work in Jordan through the Oasis model. UN Women will continue to work with the most vulnerable women and girls so that they have access to livelihood opportunities and protection services, while contributing to Jordan’s recovery” he added.
Through the regional programme ‘Women's Leadership, Empowerment, Access and Protection (LEAP) – Egypt, Jordan, Iraq’, the Government of Japan has been supporting UN Women’s efforts to create sustainable employment opportunities for women in displacement, and to provide them with skills for employability. UN Women reached more than 800 Syrian refugee beneficiaries with the support of Japan over the past year and engaged 17 Jordanian civil society and grass root organizations to enhance the gender responsiveness and accountability of the humanitarian response architecture in Jordan.
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