UNFPA supported interventions which are part of the Preventing and Responding to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, including HTPs, and Rehabilitation of Survivors Programme were visited in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region by a delegation of the Canadian Government between 27 and 28 November. The five-year programme which commenced in 2018 is funded by the Government of Canada and is being implemented in selected districts in all Regions in Ethiopia including the Benishangul-Gumuz Region.

The delegation led by Evelyne Dabire, First Secretary of Development Cooperation and Team Lead on Gender Equality and Governance with the Embassy of Canada in Ethiopia, was briefed about the major interventions implemented by the Mujejegua-Loka Women Development Association in four districts in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region. The delegation got the chance to visit the support being provided under the different interventions. It interacted with the participants of the interventions such as survivors of gender-based violence sheltered in a safe house, members of a school-based gender club and an intervention to empower Gumuz women aimed at lessening their heavy workloads exposing them to such complications as uterine prolapse.

The visit to the Hamlin Fistula Centre in the City of Bahir Dar enabled the delegation to see the referral linkage starting from identification of cases to treatment of survivors of uterine prolapse and obstetric fistula who came from the Benishangul-Gumuz Region. The delegation was briefed by a representative of the Fistula Centre on the screening and treatment of the survivors.

The Government of Canada granted UNFPA more than 14 million Canadian Dollars to support the five-year Programme. The programme is supporting comprehensive and integrated services on sexual and gender-based violence and sexual & reproductive health and rights.