Africa-Press – Eswatini. The European Union (EU) delegation in Eswatini has apportioned E27 million to be spent on a project to be launched in 2023 dedicated to empowering disadvantaged and vulnerable women as well as youth in vulnerable situations.
This was shared by EU Ambassador to Eswatini Dessislava Choumelova during the launch of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence at the United Nations offices in Mbabane yesterday.
The launch was graced by numerous stakeholders, some from faith based groups, civic society, government representatives and the business community.
The ambassador said through the project, vulnerable women and youth would be empowered. “We will aim to remove barriers they may face in acquiring skills and accessing the job market.
We will also focus on providing targeted and specific social services to women and young people, including girls, who are the most affected by the social ills of poverty, inequality and lack of basic services and opportunities to thrive,” she said.
She said EU’s unwavering support in fighting for the rights of women and children would remain undisputed. The EU strongly condemned all forms of violence against women and girls, including harmful practices as a blatant violation of human rights.
“It is absolutely unacceptable that women are violated, abused or harassed and girls are forcibly married or mutilated. The COVID-19 pandemic further aggravated gender-based violence, leading to record high levels of domestic violence,” she stated.
She alluded that rising poverty in the context of the energy and cost of living crises further increased the risk of women becoming trapped in cycles of violence. She said the impact of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine on all women and girls is of grave concern, and the growing evidence of sexual and gender based violence, including as a weapon of war by Russian armed forces is immensely alarming.
“Cyber violence is at an alarming all time high, with cyber harassment exponentially affecting young women. This year we mark the 31st anniversary of the 16 Days activism against Gender-Based Violence.
Today is the right moment to reflect and evaluate our contributions, as governments, institutions, international development partners, employers and as a community and family members-on what we have achieved and what we still need to do to make the world a better and safer place for women and girls,” she said.
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