Mali says STOP to gender-based violence (GBV): the new One Stop Center in Bamako, a link between justice and Malian women survivors of GBV
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Whether medical, psychological or legal, women survivors of GBV will now find help and advice in the new One Stop Center in Bamako, inaugurated on April 18, 2018 by the Malian government and the United Nations.
The new One Stop Center is located within the former social center of the police, rehabilitated by UN Women, UNDP and EUCAP. Divisional Commissioner Djélika Diallo who has a multidisciplinary team of 13 people, including two doctors and two police officers, heads it.
This one-stop shop will now provide free support for women and girls who will find shelter there. In addition to rooms dedicated to medical and psychological care, it also has temporary accommodation spaces and two workshops in which women can train in trades to ultimately ensure financial independence.
During the inauguration ceremony, the Minister of Security and Civil Protection, General Salif Traoré shared in his speech, the will of the government to "provide each region of Mali with a structure offering services to survivors of GBV ". He also insisted on the "zero tolerance" of the state "for all violence against women in our country".
According to statistics, more than 35% of Malian women are victims of sexual violence at least once in their lives, but these figures are actually much higher, since many survivors often do not have the opportunity to ask for help. This new institution is therefore an important step towards the protection, support and access to justice for women and girls, as is already the case in other countries, particularly in Palestine and Rwanda.
In response to these figures, Ms. Baranga Gasarabwé, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Mali, reiterated in her speech, the United Nations commitment to the fight against gender-based violence: "Violence against women has reached a worrying threshold and this trend is becoming more and more important, " No effort will be too much to contribute to the care and support of these victims who are none other than our mothers, our sisters, our girls ... "she recalled.
"We believe that the role of the security forces is crucial in the fight against this scourge," said Maxime Houinato, Resident Representative of UN Women in Mali. "That is why we have always been available to work and support the security forces to carry out the sovereign mission of protection and assistance of women and girls in vulnerable situations and gender-based violence related to the conflict. »
The project is part of the UN WOMEN program "Fight against the factors of conflict in Mali through the rule of law" of Global Focal Point, which aims to facilitate access to justice for women. It is implemented by UN WOMEN, in partnership with UNDP and MINUSMA, and thanks to generous funding from the Federal Republic of Germany. There are now two One Stop Center in Bamako and twelve in the country.