The United States will provide an additional assistance of P296.2 million to war-torn Marawi City, the US Embassy in Manila said on Saturday.

Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Klecheski said the new assistance, under the US Agency for International Development (USAID), aims to promote the role and inclusion of women in the recovery and rehabilitation of Marawi and support the ongoing humanitarian assistance work in and around the city

He underscored the important role of women in building peace and security.

"Women have been disproportionately impacted by the conflict in Marawi, including by psychological trauma, reduced mobility, and diminished participation in civic activities," he said.

Of the new aid, he said P136.1 million will respond to the needs of displaced persons, particularly women and girls, promote their leadership in fostering peace-building and alternatives to violent extremism, as well as integrate gender into recovery and rehabilitation work.

"In partnership with local governments and organizations, USAID will work with diverse groups of women to promote community dialogue and encourage civic engagement. USAID will also work to counter gender-based violence and trafficking in persons, and to help displaced girls return to school," Klecheski said.

He said the USAID invests in gender equality and women’s empowerment to promote the rights and well-being of women and girls around the world and to foster peaceful, resilient communities that are better prepared to cope with adversity and pursue development gains.

The remaining P160.1 million will be used to restore livelihoods through training and recovery grants to help more than 7,800 displaced families as well as provide water and sanitation for more than 10,000 displaced households inside and around Marawi City, the official said.

This new assistance from the US brings the total contribution to humanitarian and recovery work in and around Marawi to more than P1.7 billion, he added. Ella Dionisio/DMS