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Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Checklist on Multipurpose Community Centre (MPCC)

Países
Nepal
Fuentes
UNCT Nepal
Fecha de publicación
Origen
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Introduction

The Women Friendly Disaster Management (WFDM) Group, together with UN Women, has supported the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in implementing the Project, ‘People to People Support for Building Community Resilience through Recovery and Reconstruction in Nepal’. Along this line, the GESI Checklist for the Multipurpose Community Centre (MPCC) was developed with technical assistance from WFDM and UN Women, through a series of consultations with municipality-level stakeholders in seven municipalities of Province 3.

MPCC is a service centre dedicated to the people impacted by disasters. In every humanitarian crisis, women and girls are affected differently than men and boys, and vulnerabilities are often exacerbated by other factors, such as age, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity, caste, ethnicity or religion. It is important that these excluded and vulnerable groups have equal opportunities and benefits in times of disasters, and for that, they need targeted assistance. During times of crisis, they may face increased discrimination, prejudice, stigma, and exposure to violence, difficulty accessing humanitarian services and the risk of being overlooked. Thus, it is crucial to promote MPCC as a protected space where women, children, persons with disability, LGBTIQ+ and other vulnerable and excluded groups may stay temporarily. The active participation and leadership of women, children, persons with disabilities, LGBTIQ+ and other excluded and vulnerable groups in centres should be facilitated and they should assess the safety, dignity and service provisions of MPCC;6 thereby promoting transformative individual and societal change. To be most effective, MPCC’s plans must be understood by everyone and must be developed in consultation with local level stakeholders especially with women, children, people with disability, LGBTIQ+ and vulnerable and excluded groups. GESI perspectives should be incorporated in all activities of MPCC, including gender balance and diversity in stakeholders’ meetings, assessments, relief distribution, and training of staff and volunteers. Individuals receiving services from the MPCC should feel safe (both physically and emotionally), feel comfortable, enjoy the freedom to express themselves without the fear of judgment or harm and also feel empowered. The services should be accessible for people living with disabilities and those from the LGBTIQ+ community.