UN to Support Gender Mainstreaming in Government Ministries.

On Friday the 30th of July, the UN in Sierra Leone signed an MOU with the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs to support mainstreaming gender in Government Ministries.

The multi-stakeholder partnership for Gender Mainstreaming in Government Ministries (GiM) aims to advance the rights of women and girls and to accelerate gender equality in Sierra Leone. It was jointly developed by UNDP,  UNFPA, and UNICEF, and coordinated by UN Women. The collaboration targets more in-depth actions and greater inclusiveness to tackle root causes of gender inequality, shifting focus from independent initiatives to bringing about more coordinated political and normative changes. Investments in gender equality shall be better coordinated to ensure greater efficiency.

The UN Resident Coordinator, Mr Babatunde Ahonsi, remarked:

 “On behalf of the UN system, I congratulate both the Government, especially the Ministry of Gender and Children Affairs, and the four engaged UN agencies for being part of this partnership and for the commitment to improved data monitoring. It is a significant step forward in terms of understanding the progress we are making and the impact of improved policies in the lives of women and girls. (…)It's also a testimony to the power of the UN  coming together to get more out of the work we do. We can do better when do it together. So, I'm very happy about this partnership and I'm delighted to sign this document.”