ADB to put $3.5m in Gender and Development Cooperation Fund

KATHMANDU, May 8:

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced to administer US$ 3.5 million in grants from the Government of the United Kingdom and ADB´s Gender and Development Cooperation Fund to expand Women and Children Service Centers (WCSCs) to 15 additional districts.

“The WCSCs that were piloted in five districts to reduce vulnerability of women and children can influence social behaviors and protection procedures in a positive way,” ADB Country Director for Nepal Kenichi Yokoyama said in a statement on Wednesday.

Nepal Police have used a $950,000 grant from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction and the Government of the United Kingdom to build the five pilot centers and establish a proper support system for survivors. The centers are staffed with women police officers and kept distinct and separate from other facilities.

To expand this successful project into 15 new districts, the UK Government is contributing $3.2 million in grants, while ADB´s Gender and Development Cooperation Fund is contributing $300,000. The government will contribute $380,000.

“The first batch of new centers will be built in Achham, Bajhang, Dolakha, Saptari, Siraha, Mahottari and Tanahun,” said the statement.

The project has also established communication networks in each district to run community awareness campaigns and preventative strategies to reduce violence and abuse, encourage reporting, resolution and/or prosecution of cases to improve justice, and encourage confidence in the legal system, according to ADB.

Source: Republica