WINDHOEK, Namibia - The first Steering Committee meeting for the Gender Equality and Combating Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Project took place on 18 September 2024, in Windhoek. This project is initiated through a Contribution Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Namibia, the European Union, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Namibia Country Office.

The total budget for the project is EUR 1,540,000, with the EU contributing EUR 1,400,000 (90.9%) and UNFPA contributing EUR 140,000 (9.1%). This four-year initiative is dedicated to preventing GBV and upholding the rights of women and girls to live free from violence.

The objective of the Steering Committee meeting was to discuss the project’s implementation strategies, enhance coordination among stakeholders, and monitor and evaluate progress. The project aims to enhance coordination and service provision, engage communities in GBV prevention and response efforts, promote gender equality, and improve data systems to ensure that GBV policies and programming are evidence-based. The Gender Equality and Combating GBV Project will be implemented at both national and sub-national levels, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare (MGEPESW), line ministries, and civil society organizations (CSOs).

Erika Goldson, UNFPA Namibia Representative, expressed gratitude for the strong partnership and support from the Delegation of the European Union to Namibia, stating: "We share the responsibility to make a tremendous impact in the fight against GBV, and I am confident that, through our collaboration, we can achieve this.