Mozambique cyclone appeal allots less than 1% to needs of women and girls

Oxfam, Save the Children and Care are calling on donors to meet or exceed the proposed $5 million target to fund programs that support vulnerable women and girls ahead of a donor conference in Beira, Mozambique on May 31. The money is needed to help women and girls access education, health and other resources – and protect them from risks such as gender based-violence.

A joint needs assessment overseen by the Mozambique government and the United Nations highlighted the acute vulnerabilities and needs faced by women in the aftermath of the cyclone. However it proposed that just 0.17 percent of funds - $5 million – should be invested in programs that benefit women and girls.

The humanitarian crisis increase the risks faced by women and girls in Mozambique and could widen gender inequalities in a country that, even prior to the disaster, ranked in the bottom 20 nations on the UNDP Gender Inequality Index. For example, women are often forced to walk longer distances in unsafe conditions to collect water which leaves them with even less time to earn an income and puts them at increased risk of gender based violence.  The agencies are calling for every aspect of the humanitarian response to prioritize women and girls’ distinct needs.

Despite two massive Cyclones hitting Mozambique in fast succession, affecting 1.8 million people and leaving 750,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance, the UN’s Mozambique cyclone appeal remains less than 40 percent funded.

Rotafina Donco, the Oxfam Mozambique Country Director, says, “Women and girls have unique needs and face specific risks during and after an emergency. The women of Mozambique contribute so much to their country, especially in this time of crisis. We must use this opportunity to make sure women are protected, that they are given the tools they need to help their families and communities recover, and that their critical role in rebuilding our country is recognized. We can’t just talk about supporting women and girls – we need to see it funded and in practice every day.”

Save the Children’s Country Director for Mozambique, Chance Briggs, says, “Children are vulnerable to all kinds of risks in the wake of a disaster. Girls especially, are at high risk for exploitation, trafficking, early marriage and child labour. One of the best protections against these risks is to ensure that they are able to return to immediately return to learning after a disaster. Education is a life-saving intervention, providing children a sense of normalcy, and in the longer term, builds their resilience to future shocks and stresses. Education is a right and needs to be included at all phases of this response. Right now, the education response has not been sufficiently funded. This is not good enough. Mozambique’s children deserve better.”

Marc Nosbach, CARE’s country director in Mozambique, said: “Affected communities have lost everything and are struggling to rebuild their lives from scratch. It is necessary not only to address their immediate needs, but also to invest in recovery programs that take into account the vulnerability of some of the community members, especially women and girls. In focus groups with women who were impacted by both cyclones, we have found multiple protection concerns, such as their safety in new resettlement sites, fear of exploitation, increased social tensions, and violence that could stem from the change of gender roles due to the loss or injury of male members. All these issues need more support and funding flexibility for aid organizations to be able to plan their responses properly.”

As donors arrive in Beira, thousands of families are still reeling from the loss of loved ones, homes, incomes, and sense of security. There are still remote communities that have only just been reached by humanitarian agencies. Yet the initial devastation caused by disasters such as Cyclone Idai and Kenneth is only the beginning with communities facing months or years of difficult recovery ahead. Mozambique will also face more frequent and more intense natural disasters as a result of the climate crisis, and the humanitarian community cannot be complacent or allow vulnerable communities to fall further behind.

Oxfam, Save the Children, and Care are calling for donors to ensure their money and efforts are invested in a way that reduces inequality and prepares communities for any future disasters.

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 on request.

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.

For more information or to arrange an interview contact: 

Paula Baker
Oxfam Canada
Media Relations
(613) 240-3047

 

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