Thank you to Canada for hosting this pertinent panel discussion about the Call to Action, its goals and achievements, and how it is transforming the delivery of humanitarian assistance on the ground.
The Call to Action initiative has grown to become a decisive partner in transforming the way gender-based violence is addressed in humanitarian emergencies.
Norway has been a member of the Call to Action since its launch in 2013, and we remain firmly committed to our cooperation and partnership.
We welcome that Canada has taken over the chairmanship from ECHO, who has lead the Call to Action in a most satisfying manner the last year.
In Norway’s new humanitarian strategy, we have announced enhanced efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence.
We want to establish new initiatives in this field, and we will increase our support for relevant measures, such as provision of psychosocial support to survivors.
Norway will together with UN OCHA, UNFPA and other partners host an International Conference with the aim of closing the gaps in the humanitarian response to sexual and gender-based violence, focusing especially on the conflict-related sexual violence, in Oslo on 23 and 24 May. We look forward to inviting ministers, high-level officials, heads of international organizations and not least civil society leaders to Oslo.
We look forward to together further discuss the very important topic of the humanitarian response to sexual and gender-based violence.
Thank you.