Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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141. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the proposals to provide additional funding to non-governmental organisations towards their programmes working to mitigate the risk of gender-based violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45603/15]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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142. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the proposals he has put forward at European Union Foreign Affairs Councils on the need to increase funding to non-governmental organisations to assist their programmes dealing with gender-based violence in many regions, particularly in countries where a significant cohort of the population are victims of conflict-related sexual violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45604/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 142 together.

Preventing and responding to gender-based violence is a central priority of Ireland’s programme for overseas development, Irish Aid and is at the core of our efforts to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment. We work closely with local and international non-governmental organisations to strengthen their capacity to respond to gender-based violence and to support the development and implementation of laws which prevent such violence from occurring. Our work in this area was recognised by the OECD last year which praised Ireland for the “effective agenda setting role it plays on gender equality and women’s empowerment” including being “a powerful force behind the stronger donor focus on tackling violence against women”.

Through its funding to Irish non-governmental organisations, Irish Aid supports a range of programmes focused on the elimination of gender-based violence. The Department also collaborates very closely with Irish non-governmental organisations through its membership Irish Consortium on Gender-based Violence, a unique grouping of Irish development and humanitarian organizations and the Irish Defence Forces. The Consortium works to build its members’ capacity to respond to all forms of gender-based violence in conflict, post-conflict and long-term development contexts and to advocate for the elimination of gender based violence, globally.

This year, Irish Aid has renewed its partnership with the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The Trust Fund is a unique multi-lateral grant-making mechanism exclusively devoted to supporting the work of local non-governmental organisations in developing organisations focused on addressing violence against women and girls. Since its establishment in 2006, the Trust Fund has awarded $103 million to projects in 136 countries. I expect that Irish Aid’s support to the Trust Fund will continue next year.

As women and girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual and gender-based violence in emergency situations, Irish Aid prioritises their protection in its humanitarian action. Earlier this year, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade launched Ireland’s second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2015-2018). In addition to identifying concrete commitments which will ensure the protection of women and girls in conflict, the new Plan also places an increased focus on the importance of women’s empowerment and participation in decision-making in conflict and post-conflict situations.

At the European level, Ireland has been actively engaged in ensuring commitments by the Foreign Affairs Council to combat gender-based violence, including two sets of Council Conclusions focused on gender and development, in May and October of this year. In October, the Council launched the EU’s second Gender Action Plan (2016-2020), placing an emphasis on the importance of preventing and responding to such violence in emergencies, including in EU and Member State development programmes.