For people that are faced with crises including violence of all forms, poverty, climate change amongst others, tackling their insecurities requires synergy and collaboration in a comprehensive manner. This will ensure the safety of individuals and communities because aspects of their lives will be improved, they will have more income to support their wellbeing and ultimately know that their rights and dignity are fully respected, thus leading to human security.

On Tuesday 24 August 2021, UNFPA The Gambia Representative and UN Resident Coordinator ad interim Mr. Kunle Adeniyi, joined the Representative of the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Chairperson of the Mansakonko Area Council and other dignitaries in the Lower River Region of The Gambia to launch the UN Trust Fund for Human Security Project on Localising SDGs - Improving the livelihoods of vulnerable women and youth around the Senegambia Bridge.

The two-year project is aimed at supporting communities and people around the Senegambia Bridge to cope with the adverse shocks created by the construction of the bridge, while creating pathways for women and youth to capitalise on new opportunities it creates.

The project which will be implemented in the Kerewan and Mansakonko Local Government Areas will strengthen the economic and social rights of women and youth, particularly those whose livelihoods have been affected by the bridge, by addressing the ecosystem support along the bridge’s corridor communities and provides-oriented support.

Speaking at the launch, the UNFPA Representative Mr. Kunle Adeniyi highlighted that, the projected is designed to strengthen resilience of communities and individuals and equip them with capacity and knowledge to address gender-based violence, economically empower women and youth through initiatives that strengthen their wellbeing and bring communities and their authorities closer together to address their challenges and breed understanding and trust between the elected and the electorates.

According to Mr. Adeniyi, the project comes at a time when we are faced with many developmental and humanitarian challenges which mostly arise from multiple factors that are often interconnected and mutually reinforcing. As such it is critical to ensure integration and synergy of interventions as we build partnerships both within and outside he highlighted.

On the part of the UN system in The Gambia, UNFPA and ITC will lead the implementation of the project working with Government and Civil Society Organisations to ensure development through the lenses of human security and ensure that we fulfil people’s freedom from fear rights to live in dignity.

Media contact:

Haddy Jonga – Programme Analyst Communications, UNFPA The Gambia jonga@unfpa.org