A national symposium to showcase achievements made, enhance information sharing, and to critically review three years of implementation of the United Nations Joint Human Security Trust Fund Project took place early this week in Ganta, Nimba County.
The project, titled, “Human Security Initiative in the Most Neglected Communities Programme with the Integration of Efforts by the UN Country Team in Liberia” was implemented in Liberia (March 2015 – March 2018) with funding from the UN Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS).
The initiative is a joint effort led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with WFP, UNICEF, UNFPA, ILO, and UN Women, the Government of Liberia and local partners with support from the UN peace mission, UNMI. The project is implemented in four Southeastern Counties of Nimba, Grand Gedeh, River Gee, & Maryland that are facing the borders with Cote d’Ivoire.
At the symposium, the World Food Programme (WFP) in Liberia, praised the joint effort approach of the project as a laudable initiative that helped in fostering social cohesion, peace building, and strengthening agriculture-based livelihoods and food security.
In a statement delivered on behalf of WFP Country Director Dr. Bienvenu Djossa, WFP Liberia’s Programme Policy Officer Mr Michael Musili said the project also succeeded in enhancing comprehensive prevention, management and response to sexual and gender-based violence as well as improve the safety and security of children and in strengthening health security.
Mr. Musili stressed the collaborative strength of the project together with other essential features: “While human security has the distinctive feature of a protection and empowerment framework, it also allows both central and local government entities to work jointly and holistically with the UN counterparts towards achieving a common goal”.
He then called for increased partnership toward achieving food security and zero hunger status for all Liberians: “In furtherance of the spirit of the human security trust fund project, the World Food Programme (WFP) is again highlighting the need for bold and more constructive partnerships among governments, businesses, and organizations that will contribute to towards achieving Zero Hunger and shaping a brighter future for millions of people including women and children”.
Meanwhile, former Agriculture Minister Dr Moses Zinnah has described the Human Security Trust Fund Project as “a crosscutting project supporting various aspects of human security from food to health, HIV/AIDS awareness-raising, safety, social protection and other important aspects of human existence.” He called for strong implementation of existing policies, increased coordination and alignment of the agriculture sector, and greater investment to help make Liberia food secure.
The symposium brought together the UN, NGOs, local authorities, and beneficiary farmers who praised the best practice activities and achievements of the project.
Comments are closed.