8 March 2016 – Thanks to a partnership between GIZ and Ecuador’s largest telecom provider, millions of at-risk women can now call for immediate assistance.
In Ecuador, at-risk women can now alert others to their situation and call for help more easily. Working with telecoms provider CNT, ComVoMujer has developed the smartphone app Junt@s – which means ‘together’. Women can notify the emergency centre or a person of trust at the touch of a button. The great advantage is that the app is pre-installed on all mobile phones supplied under a CNT contract, so no one has to explain why they have it on their phone.
This innovative concept and the many years of successful campaigning against violence against women have been recognised with a special award from the jury of GIZ’s internal Gender Competition this year. The award was presented to programme manager Christine Brendel and Reinaldo Torres from CNT. ‘We are delighted to receive this award. The app has touched a nerve – that’s obvious from the amount of interest it’s attracting from other organisations. We gave a presentation on Junt@s to Deutsche Telekom only this morning,’ said Christine Brendel.
This year, a total of 87 teams from 52 countries took part in the Gender Competition – a new record. ‘Gender equality is a human right, a key to sustainable development and a hallmark of our work’s quality,’ said Tanja Gönner, Chair of GIZ’s Management Board, during the Awards Ceremony on 7 March. ‘With the Gender Competition, our aim is to promote creativity and innovation and make visible – and reward – our colleagues’ commitment and expertise.’
This year’s first prize went to the global BACKUP Health programme, with second and third places going to the renewable energies and energy efficiency programme in Mexico and a vocational training and sustainable development initiative in Ghana.