Paramaribo, October 22 Today the Government of Suriname, formally expressed gratitude to the Enabling, Gender-Responsive Disaster Recovery, Climate and Environmental Resilience in the Caribbean (EnGenDER) Project for its assistance in bolstering the country’s COVID-19 response initiative. Twenty (20) organizations across Suriname are now better equipped to combat the current crisis thanks to the timely supply of essential products and personal protective equipment, made possible through support from the Government of Canada and the UK Government.

The EnGenDER contribution has allowed for the purchase of 43,000 surgical masks, 2000 Respirator N95 masks, 58,500 pairs of gloves, 60 non-contact thermometers, 10 gallons of hand sanitizer and 300 bottles of hand sanitizing dispensers. Children’s homes, elderly retirement facilities, women support organizations, institutions which support persons living with disabilities, the National Disaster Management Office and the local government District Commissioner’s Office are just some of the organizations which will benefit from this equipment. Through EnGenDER’s assistance and the hard work and dedication of the National Coordination Center for Disaster Management (NCCR), which supported local coordination and planning,  some of the most vulnerable groups and at-risk populations in Suriname will be able to directly benefit from the supply which will be used to curb the spread of the virus.

UNDP Suriname’s, Deputy Resident Representative, Dr. Margaret Jones- Williams, in her remarks   noted, “with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to impact lives and livelihoods, a health crisis has quickly become a humanitarian crisis and a socio-economic crisis, impeding progress towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), whilst also making their achievement even more urgent and necessary. We will continue to raise the importance of Leaving No One Behind, of achieving the SDGs and the use PPE for safe response to COVID-19 initiatives, which contribute to the SDG 2 on Good Health and Well-Being; SDG 5 on Gender Equality; and SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities.”

Ms. Janine Cocker, Head of Cooperation and Counsellor, at Global Affairs Canada, stated in her remarks that, “the Government of Canada is pleased to support the Government of Suriname in its response to the  COVID-19 pandemic, and I’m happy to hear already that 300 men and 1500 women and girls nation-wide have all benefitted from this existing programme which is part of a comprehensive response that Canada is supporting through the EnGenDER project.”

The British Non-Resident Ambassador to Suriname, Mr. Greg Quinn, in his presentation remarks stated, “in responding to COVID-19 it has become clear; there is a need for increasing supplies of PPE to many countries in the region. Today’s handover of PPE through established national recovery and response frameworks will focus on the socio-economic needs of the most vulnerable and will enhance a gender responsive recovery in Suriname.”

The honourable Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Bronto Somohardjo expressed, “his sincere appreciation and gratitude to the donors, partners and the EnGenDER project for the assistance provided which includes the supply of essential products and personal protective equipment which will help also assist interior populations in Suriname which have been significantly impacted by the coronavirus.”

The EnGenDER project is improving planning, decision making and actions for gender responsive and inclusive climate resilience in nine (9) participating Caribbean countries for a total of USD $ 15 million.  The COVID-19 pandemic led to USD $ 1,149,000 of funding being reprogrammed to address COVID-19 response and gender-based violence (GBV) initiatives. These initiatives ensure that the project’s overall objective of reducing rather than exacerbating gender vulnerabilities is achieved by making certain that society’s most vulnerable are reached and assisted during and after crises.

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For more information on the COVID Response Initiative or the EnGenDER Project in Suriname please contact UNDP Suriname via registry.sr@undp.org.