NGOCC receives US$4.3 million grant

The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has received a grant of 40 million Swedish Krona equivalent to about US$4.3 million or K44 million from the Swedish embassy in Lusaka to support the implementation of the 2018 to 2022 strategic plan dubbed: “building solidarity for women’s empowerment”.

Speaking during the grant signing ceremony, NGOCC board chairperson, Sara Longwe says the strategic plans will focus on women’s empowerment, sexual reproductive health, rights of women and girls, governance and women’s leadership as well as climate change mitigation and resilience.

Ms Longwe says that NGOCC believes in human capital as a critical asset that must be coordinated to deliver on the aspiration of the organisation which is being a vibrant well positioned coordinating organisation promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in Zambia.

She says the support from the Swedish embassy will go a long way in addressing the suffering of women and girls and in promoting greater gender equality.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Swedish embassy deputy head of mission Karin Sverken said the signing of the grant agreement is in line with Sweden’s feminist foreign policy whose fundamental aim is equality between women and men.

She says for Sweden, gender equality in itself is not an end, but a pre-condition for achievement of all development aspirations.

Ms Sverken notes that while much has been done towards achieving gender equality in Zambia, the country continues to lag behind and has one of the highest levels of gender and other inequalities.