merrion street

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr. Katherine Zappone, today attended a Conference on Ending Sexual and Gender-based Violence in Oslo, where Ireland pledged €2.2 million to respond to gender-based violence in humanitarian crises in 2019.

The conference aimed to promote stronger political commitment to ending gender-based violence in emergencies.

Speaking at the conference, Minister Zappone said:

There are few crimes more shocking, more reprehensible, or more damaging than gender-based violence. As Minister I have seen at first hand the invaluable work of frontline agencies supporting women and children targeted by domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in Ireland. Today, it has been particularly moving to hear the passionate voices of local and women-led organisations fighting every day on the front lines of humanitarian crises. We are not just facing a human rights and protection failure, but a political failure to prioritise women’s equality; a failure that is rooted within all of our systems and cultures.

Ireland is acting with renewed urgency to end gender-based violence and has placed gender equality at the heart of its new policy for international development, A Better World.  The policy commits to increasing Ireland’s support to programmes directly related to achieving gender equality including preventing and responding to gender-based violence in emergencies.

The funding pledged by Ireland includes a new contribution of €500,000 to the ICRC’s Special Appeal on Responding to Sexual and Gender Based Violence, as well as funding to the UN’s Gender Capacity Standby Partnership. Ireland has an existing three year programme with the International Rescue Committee worth €4.5 million which focuses on providing life-saving gender-based violence response services and engaging in empowerment programming with women and girls from crisis affected populations.

Minister Zappone added:

millions of people in crises, mostly women and girls, continue to suffer from the monstrous and widespread pandemic of gender-based violence. Gender-based violence programming should be seen as a life-saving component of every humanitarian response.