European Union Commends Fiji Projects
The European Union (EU) is happy with the two projects it funded for the Medical Services Pacific (MSP). A delegation from the EU, on Monday, visited the MSP headquarters in Suva to discuss the progress of the projects.
MSP had received EUR906,000 (FJ$2,180,139) for the projects.
Deputy director-general (Brussels) Myriam Ferran (International Partnerships) said she was impressed with the work that MSP was doing.
“We are very happy and proud to be able to contribute to the fight against gender-based violence. I must admit that I am impressed by the results achieved through those two projects.” Ms Ferran said.
“We went through a lot of explanations on what has been done, basically most of the objectives of the two projects not only reached, but exceeded in the three years of implementation.
“Frankly, what the EU would like to see is the continuation. I would like to be able to consider those two projects as pilot projects. What is really important for us is the multidimension of the projects that will not only provide support to victims.
“It is not only to support the victims, but also working towards the prevention side and on the repressive side, so that this phenomenon can be fought from the global perspective.”
MSP country director Ashna Shaleen thanked the EU for its continuous support.
“We had the pleasure of taking them through the two projects that we have. These are big projects. It has funded, supported co-activities for MSP particularly on sexual assault and the post rape clinics that we have in the Western, Central and Northern Division,” she said.
“We also received huge funding and support during the COVID-19 phase where we were able to employ 100 paid volunteers who had then rolled out the vaccination programme in partnership with the Government.
“The post-rape clinic came to an end on February 28th and we have been able to secure ongoing funding to keep the operations going because the project is such that there is a need to have such a project on sexual-gender base violence.” She said the post-rape clinic not only provided medical forensics to survivors of gender-based violence, but psychosocial support, the legal aspect support so it is a holistic one stop shop model.