The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Seedy Keita, has announced that the Women Enterprise Fund (WEF) trained and certified 2,064 adolescent girls and young women in entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihood skills and approved D117 million in grants for start-up capital.
Presenting the Appropriation Bill, 2027, at the National Assembly on Friday, Keita said the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare continues to implement programmes focused on women’s economic empowerment, child protection, disability inclusion and social protection.
He said the WEF also launched the Musooltaa Women’s Resource Mobile Application and trained 350 women nationwide to use the platform. An additional 1,000 women received training in entrepreneurship and financial literacy.
According to the Minister, the application provides access to information and services relating to the WEF programme, health and safety, sexual and gender-based violence, finance, employment opportunities, women’s rights and the Ministry’s Lumo Market.
Keita further disclosed that the WEF plans to disburse D15 million in loans to 70 women’s groups as part of efforts to promote women’s economic, social and political empowerment.
On child protection, he said the Ministry, in collaboration with UNICEF and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), is working to repeal the Children’s Act 2005, as amended in 2016.
He added that a legal gap analysis had been conducted, while the recruitment of a consultant was underway to support the drafting of a new Children’s Bill.
The Minister also said the Ministry, in collaboration with SOS Children’s Villages, had validated the National Foster Care Guidelines. The guidelines seek to protect children’s safety, well-being, development and rights while standardising foster care services.
He said a work plan had also been developed to support the implementation of the guidelines.
Providing an update on social welfare services, Keita said the Directorate of Social Welfare handled 93 child custody cases and seven paternity cases, registered 114 child support cases, mediated 36 child access disputes, processed 33 adoption cases and supported 85 cases involving vulnerable persons.
He added that seven students received assistance with school fees, while one child marriage case was prevented and resolved.
