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The 12-month project focuses on improving water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, infection prevention control, improving community planning approaches as well as strengthening health services. fight against sexual and gender-based violence.
Accra – February 3, 2021 – Today, the Representative of the President at the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, Madame Cecilia Abena Dapaah, received Her Excellency the Ambassador of Denmark, Mr. Tom Nørring, the Representative of the ‘UNICEF in Ghana, Madame Anne-Claire Dufay, and their teams to mark the launch of a partnership to support the national COVID-19 response by the government of Ghana.
The DKK 35 million (or US $ 5.6 million) partnership is expected to complement and broaden the scope of the comprehensive sustainable recovery plans defined by the Government of Ghana.
The 12-month project, which will focus on between six and eight low-income, high-density urban communities in two regions, Greater Accra and Ashanti, supports four main areas:
1. Increase access to water, sanitation and hygiene through sustainable infrastructure and take measures to prevent and control infections, in particular by positively influencing the hygiene and health behaviors of communities vulnerable;
2. Support community engagement and planning approaches for better direct services, and promote best practices to prevent transmission of COVID-19;
3. Increase support to prevent and address sexual and gender-based violence, in particular through courts and justice services; and
4. Encourage private sector participation in reducing potential vulnerabilities, including through provision of low-cost sanitation.
The representative of HE the President at the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, Ms. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, said: “As Ghana reports, increasing number of COVID-19 cases, resilient water sanitation and hygiene facilities become even more essential as we seek to reduce the spread of the coronavirus and achieve Ghana’s longer term goals: to be free from open defecation and to provide clean water to all Ghanaians .
“The Government of Ghana is delighted to see the start of this 12-month project by UNICEF and the Danish Embassy, and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources looks forward to concluding its cooperation to achieve our Goals.
“On behalf of the Government of Ghana, I thank the Government of Denmark and UNICEF for this partnership and we look forward to working with you on this important project.”
The Danish Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Mr. Tom Nørring said: “After nearly 60 years of close cooperation between Ghana and Denmark, it is important for Denmark and me personally as Ambassador to Ghana to show solidarity in these difficult times of the pandemic.
“Unfortunately, the need to reduce the spread becomes even more evident and it will be paramount to take all necessary measures to ensure the health and livelihoods of the people of Ghana.
“Strong community resilience and awareness, as well as better access to water and sanitation have once again proven crucial – especially in large cities where people work and live closely together. This project that we are launching today aims to support and sustain the tireless work of the Government of Ghana to manage the pandemic by expanding access to water and hygiene practices in disadvantaged urban areas. It also demonstrates the close links already existing with the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources. And we are, of course, very happy to team up with UNICEF in these efforts, as we are doing in many other places around the world.
“For our part, we will do our best to make this cooperation, but also our other partnerships in the field of water and wastewater management, a success. Building on many years of innovation and learning, Denmark has strengths in sustainable solutions and technologies in the water sector, and I really encourage and hope to see more public partnerships and private sector in the water sector.
“Last but not least, we all have an obligation to take even better care of the most vulnerable people, who are victims of the underlying effects of the pandemic. Violence, in general, is unacceptable, but violence against children and women is nothing but cruelty against humanity, with long-term consequences for the individual and his family. This is why the project is also focusing on creating more child-friendly gender-based violence courts and supporting the most vulnerable children and their families. ”
UNICEF Ghana Representative Anne-Claire Dufay added: “The most vulnerable children and families in urban areas are most affected by the primary and secondary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This program will help the government provide clean running water and adequate hand washing with soap facilities, as well as strengthen community health planning. We ensure strong community engagement, which is essential to meet the needs of the most marginalized and have a positive impact. More child-friendly gender-based violence courts will also benefit vulnerable women and children.
“We commend the Government of Ghana for its tireless efforts to protect the population from COVID-19 and we thank the Government of Denmark for our strategic partnership.
“Under the United Nations Partnership for Sustainable Development (UNSDP) and the Socio-Economic Response and Recovery Plan (SERRP), this program will complement the efforts of all United Nations agencies in Ghana to assist the government in ensure a sustainable and resilient recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic ”.
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