The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana resulted in women and girls having to adapt to various changes such as stay at home measures. In some instances, this inadvertently resulted in GBV survivors being locked in with their abusers. Women and girls also faced other vulnerabilities. To alleviate such situations, UNFPA – as lead of the pillar 4 component of the Guyana Spotlight Initiative programme – supported the issuance of grants to civil society organizations to support the delivery of services in the COVID-19 context.
Details of the grants provided are as follows:
COVID-19 Response: Provision of psychosocial support and linkage to supportive services; with the target audience being children survivors of abuse and their families in Region 6 in Guyana. [ChildLink served as the Implementing Partner, in association with the Child Care and Protection Agency, within the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security]
UPDATE: Two Child Advocacy Centers in Region 6 were realized through a ChildLink – Ministry of Human Services and Social Security collaboration that was supported by the Spotlight Initiative. Under the Spotlight Initiative, support was provided for furnishings, equipment, training, and information, education, and communication materials for the two Child Advocacy Centers. The two Child Advocacy Centers were launched on February 27, 2021, by the Honorable Minister of Human Services and Social Security. Among those in attendance for the launch were the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, the EU Ambassador, the UN Resident Coordinator, and the UNFPA Liaison Officer for Guyana. Interventions on the provision of information, education, and communications materials were completed on March 31, 2021.
COVID-19 Response: Support for GBV safe identification (via essential services delivery points in the COVID-19 context, such as pharmacies and community shops) as well as linkage to GBV psychosocial support; with the target audience being youth, teen mothers, women in Region 4 and Region 6 in Guyana. [Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association served as Implementing Partner, in association with Women Across Differences, Help and Shelter, and Women’s Refugee]
UPDATE: The Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association partnered with Women Across Differences, Help and Shelter, and Women’s Refuge to execute this activity. Women Across Differences facilitated access to adolescent mothers and teen girls in need of psychosocial support. Help and Shelter facilitated the provision of technical guidance as well as psychosocial support services. Women’s Refuge meanwhile was initially engaged to facilitate access to grassroots networks that would support the linkage of GBV survivors and individuals at risk of GBV to psychosocial support. The services delivery component of the activity has concluded on March 31, 2021.
COVID-19 Response: Support for GBV safe identification (via essential services delivery points in the COVID-19 context, such as pharmacies and community shops) as well as provision of GBV psychosocial support; with the target audience being women, girls, men, survivors and perpetrators, LGBTQI community, migrants in Region 4 in Guyana. [Help and Shelter serves as Implementing Partner]
UPDATE: Help and Shelter relied on its network of partners at community levels to support execution of this activity. The services delivery component of the activity concluded in December, 2020. The development of relevant information, education, and communication materials concluded during the first quarter of 2021. This activity concluded on January 31, 2021.
COVID-19 Response: Support for GBV safe identification (via essential services delivery points in the COVID-19 context, such as pharmacies and community shops) as well as provision of GBV psychosocial support; with the target audience being women, girls, men, survivors and perpetrators, LGBTQI community, migrants in Region 6.
[St. Francis Community Developers serves as Implementing Partner, in association with United Bricklayers]
STATUS UPDATE: St. Francis Community Developers (based in Port Mourant) partnered with United Bricklayers (based in New Amsterdam) to execute this activity. St. Francis Community Developers relied on its network of partners at community levels to support the execution of this activity. The implementing partner was able to successfully link GBV survivors and individuals at risk of GBV to support services across a range of sectors, including housing. This activity concluded on March 31, 2021.
