25th February, 2019 The Local Government and Community Development Division under the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) is hosting a week-long Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) training at Tanoa International Dateline Hotel.
The training is facilitated by the UN Women Gender and Protection Specialist Rochelle Braaf.
Acting Chief Executive Officer for MIA, Mr. ‘Onetoto ‘Anisi said, that this Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) training is an important component of gender equality and women’s empowerment which is essential to effective, participatory and equitable humanitarian protection.
“The GiHA training held recently in Suva, Fiji took place from 3 December to 7 December 2018. Three members of Tonga’s Safety and Protection Cluster working within the government and non-governmental sector were able to participate in this training of trainers’ session.”
The objectives of the training to assist and support humanitarian actors in reaching out to all people impacted by crisis include;
- Ensuring that specific needs, capacities and priorities of women, girls, men, and boys are identified and that assistance will target the persons and groups most in need;
- Informing women, girls, men and boys of their entitlements and available resources and engaging their participation and women’s leadership in programme designed; and
- Monitoring and evaluating the impact of programmes and strategies on those being assisted, including identifying and dismantling barriers and discrimination, including by promoting and enabling women’s leadership at the community level and in other decision – making processes.
He said this is one of the intention anticipated by the Safety and Protection Cluster to host the following proposed GiHA trainings within line ministries, intra-clusters, to NGO’s and relevant stakeholders.
“As the Safety and Protection Cluster, participation in the GiHA training will provide Tonga with a way forward in developing and implementing key strategies with regard to gender diversity and inclusion.”
“Conducting GiHA also encompasses an ongoing approach that aligns nationally with Tonga’s Strategic Development Framework II and provides an opportunity for the cluster to increase capacity and take steps towards gender mainstreaming in Tonga.”
Mr. ‘Anisi told the gatherings that the cluster members who attended GiHA will perform the initial trainings in Tonga with an emphasis on the Safety and Protection Cluster.
“It should be noted that there are also trainings that are specific to individual clusters so trainings will vary to accommodate the intended audience.”
He also uttered that the expected outcomes of this training, to have a way forward for cluster members in terms of coordination and advocating for the most vulnerable people, assist in building capacity so that no one is left behind and working together towards Disaster Risk Reduction in times of crisis.
The workshop will conclude this Friday.
ENDS
Issued by the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communication