Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 28 March 2022 – The Embassy of Japan and UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, today jointly organized the launching ceremony for a project amounting to nearly USD 1 million to improve health and address the protection needs of women and adolescent girls. 

The project titled ‘’Addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH)’’ will be implemented in selected conflict and COVID-19 affected districts of the Amhara and Benishangul-Gumuz regions from March 2022 to March 2023. Nearly 80,000 women, girls, boys, and men will be reached in the two regions with lifesaving information on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Activities under the project will also support local governments and actors to rebuild the health system capacity, which has been decimated by conflict and COVID-19, including through the strengthening of institutional processes in the areas of SRH and GBV with the training of service providers and the provision of equipment, supplies, and commodities such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and ambulances.

H.E, Ms. ITO Takako, Ambassador of Japan to Ethiopia, said, “In addition to contributing to the Africa Health and Wellbeing Initiative, the attainment of UHC is one of the pillars of Japan’s cooperation with Africa. As agreed to during TICAD 7, Japan supports and strengthens SRH and GBV prevention and response services to emergency affected communities, including IDPs”.  She added, “It is my great pleasure to be able to contribute to the Ethiopian people’s health and well-being, especially in strengthening the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and expanding gender-sensitive SRH and GBV services in Amhara and Benishangul-Gumuz, where there are urgent needs”.  

“Working together, UNFPA and Japan will be able to accelerate the restoration of critical maternal and reproductive health services for vulnerable women, girls and youth impacted by conflict and the COVID 19 pandemic,” said Ms. Esperance Fundira, UNFPA Officer-in-Charge in Ethiopia, who expressed her appreciation of the contribution from the Embassy and people of Japan.  “This is a first, and essential, step to advancing progress towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and improving access to lifesaving reproductive health services for some of the furthest behind women and girls.” 

Eight districts from North Shewa, West Gojjam, Awi, and Oromo Nationality zones have been selected from the Amhara region and two districts from the Metekel zone of the Benishangul Gumuz region for the implementation of the project. 

The project will be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Amhara and Benishangul-Gumuz Regional Health Bureaus, Public Health Emergency Management centers, Bureaus of Women, Children and Youth Affairs, and relevant district sectoral offices.

The project will form part of UNFPA’s 9th Country Programme (2020-2025). The UNFPA Country Programme, which commenced in July 2020, is being implemented in 9 Regions of Ethiopia responding to national priorities as articulated by the Government of Ethiopia.  

About Japan’s Humanitarian Assistance 

The Government of Japan has been providing humanitarian assistance to many countries all over the world every year in coordination with various international organizations in order to respond to emergencies caused by natural disasters (incl. flooding, droughts, and outbreaks of infectious diseases) and humanitarian crises (incl. conflicts, terrorism and outflow of refugees and IDPs).  Japanese humanitarian assistance, which is over USD 14 million (700 million Birr) to Ethiopia in JFY 2021/2022, will be implemented by each of the eight following organizations: ICRC, OCHA, UNESCO-IICBA, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNHCR UNOPS, and WFP.     

For more information about the Government of Japan and the Embassy of Japan and its assistance, please visit:  https://www.mofa.go.jp/index.html and https://www.et.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/index.html

For further information, please contact: 

• Dejene Sakoume, Communication Officer, Embassy of Japan, E-mail: hizkiasdej@gmail.com, Cel: +251-91-175-3486

About UNFPA

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA reaches millions of women and young people in 155 countries and territories. UNFPA remains strongly committed to working with partners to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls. 

For more information about UNFPA and its work visit:  http://ethiopia.unfpa.org/

For further information, please contact: 

• Abraham Gelaw, UNFPA Senior Communication Officer, E-mail:gelaw@unfpa.org
• Paula Fernández, UNFPA Communication Specialist, E- mail:pfernandez@unfpa.org