Reacting to the commitment of $1.2bn by donors at Beira pledging conference for Mozambique on 1st June, Dorothy Sang, Humanitarian Advocacy and Campaign’s Manager said:
“It is good to see the international community stepping up and showing much needed solidarity with the people of Mozambique. The impact of Cyclone Idai and Cyclone Kenneth are far reaching and it will Mozambique years to fully recover.
"There is a real threat that these two disasters could widen gender inequalities in Mozambique and put women and girls at greater risk of gender based violence, exploitation and poverty. Gender inequality doesn’t just hurt women and girls, it is proven to hold back the overall growth of nations. It was good to hear strong commitments from donors to help build back better infrastructure and rehabilitate vital sectors in agriculture, finance and social protection, the lack of a solid commitment to the gender appeal is of concern.
"Specific programming for gender accounts for just one percent of the $3.2bn call made by the Government of Mozambique. Given that even prior to the disaster, Mozambique ranked in the bottom 20 nations on the UNDP Gender Inequality Index, a concerted effort is required to not only integrate women and girls needs into every aspect of the reconstruction effort, but also to establish programmes designed to redress this dangerous imbalance – such as establishing women and mens groups to work on empoerment, alongside critical programming to tackle gender based violence.
"The generosity shown by the international community will help Mozambique begin its long road to recovery. It is important that this support will make communities more equitable and more prepared the future shocks. Oxfam, alongside Save the Children and CARE, is calling on donors to exceed the $5million target for gender focused programming so that women and girls are not left behind.”
Notes to editors
Oxfam, Save the Children and Care paper, ‘Leave no one behind: Ensure the needs of women and girls are prioritized at the Beira Conference 2019,’ is available here.
The International Donors Conference took place in the city of Beira, Mozambique on 31-1 June. Following Cyclone Idai, the Government of Mozambique requested technical assistance from the World Bank on March 27, 2019, through the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery to undertake a post-disaster needs assessment to support the country’s recovery process. The request was extended to the European Union and the United Nations.
The post disaster needs assessment, led by the Government of Mozambique, was conducted between April 16 and May 2nd 2019 by a team of experts from Government Ministries with support from the United Nations agencies, the World Bank, the European Union, the African Development Bank and other development partners. The COSACA consortium consists of the international aid organizations CARE International, Oxfam, and Save the Children. The consortium began its work in Mozambique in 2007, delivering emergency and large-scale humanitarian assistance to communities affected by floods. COSACA has reached over 350,000 people as part of the Cyclone Idai and Kenneth response. The joint response has included the provision of clean water and sanitation, helped farmers recover with seeds and tools, and provided children with opportunities to get back to school
Contact information
Dorothy Sang: Mobile: +25846111176 I
Oxfam, Save the Children and Care paper, ‘Leave no one behind: Ensure the needs of women and girls are prioritized at the Beira Conference 2019,’ is available here.
The International Donors Conference took place in the city of Beira, Mozambique on 31-1 June. Following Cyclone Idai, the Government of Mozambique requested technical assistance from the World Bank on March 27, 2019, through the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery to undertake a post-disaster needs assessment to support the country’s recovery process. The request was extended to the European Union and the United Nations.
The post disaster needs assessment, led by the Government of Mozambique, was conducted between April 16 and May 2nd 2019 by a team of experts from Government Ministries with support from the United Nations agencies, the World Bank, the European Union, the African Development Bank and other development partners. The COSACA consortium consists of the international aid organizations CARE International, Oxfam, and Save the Children. The consortium began its work in Mozambique in 2007, delivering emergency and large-scale humanitarian assistance to communities affected by floods. COSACA has reached over 350,000 people as part of the Cyclone Idai and Kenneth response. The joint response has included the provision of clean water and sanitation, helped farmers recover with seeds and tools, and provided children with opportunities to get back to school
Dorothy Sang: Mobile: +25846111176 I