FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, 18 August 2017 – In response to the floods and landslides which took place on the outskirts of the Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, at the beginning of the week, 530 dignity kits were quickly prepared for dispatch to families in the devastated areas. The dignity kits, supplied for women and girls of reproductive age by the UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, contain essential personal items, such as sanitary pads, underwear, cloth wraps (sarong), soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste. The dignity kits were generously funded by UK aid (UK Department for International Development - DFID).
UNFPA, other UN agencies and development partners are supporting the Government response to the crisis. Whilst visiting Regent, one of the most affected areas, UNFPA Representative, Dr. Kim Dickson stated, “As in most humanitarian emergencies, women and girls are particularly vulnerable and their specific needs are often overlooked. The disaster has left a great number of women and girls without adequate sanitation, shelter, drinking water, or access to gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health services. The UNFPA kits will help women and girls maintain a sense of dignity at a time when they need it most.”
Additionally, UNFPA has moved quickly to help strengthen the Family Support Units (FSUs) - specialized units attached to police stations to tackle abuse or violence against women and girls, and will be providing protective gear including, raincoats, rain boots, face masks and industrial strength gloves to the Government’s crisis recovery teams. A rapid assessment tool, developed jointly with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, will help UNFPA get more defined information on the reproductive health needs of families in the affected areas by identifying the gaps in providing sexual and reproductive health services.
***
About the United Nations Populations Fund
UNFPA delivers a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
For more information, please contact:
Angelique Reid, UNFPA Sierra Leone, Communications Specialist
Tel: +232 78340044 - Email: areid@unfpa.org
