25/5/2015 in Port Vila, Vanuatu: Vanuatu Department of Women’s Affairs, working in partnership with ActionAid Australia and UNFPA, are holding a series of education sessions to assist women in building resilience, and they are encouraging women to attend the free sessions.
Following the Cyclone, the partnership group set up four Women’s Information Centre’s in Port Vila, Eton, Eramango & Tanna. The Centre’s initially focused on registering women’s specific needs.
More than five thousand women attended, with the major needs support requirements registered as shelter, food, sanitation and agricultural needs such as tools and seedlings, with a range of agencies now involved in providing those supplies.
ActionAid Australia spokesperson Kathy Solomon says the Women’s Information Centre’s will now move into “outreach phase” by running a series of free sessions to assist women.
A recent lecture on personal health and hygiene drew a crowd of more than 100 women who participated enthusiastically in the session.
A variety of outreach sessions will be held at each of the Centre’s over the coming months covering a range of topics related to women’s emergency preparedness.
Kathy Solomon says,
“Protection issues include things such as shelter, food and financial stability but it’s also about empowering women to be able to make decisions and choices for themselves and their families.”
ENDS
Further information or to arrange an interview please contact Paula Feehan (02) 7779 345 or [email protected] from ActionAid Australia in Porta Vila.
**Note to Editors**
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