Fund For Gender Equality 2011-2012 Arab State Grantees

IN light of the recent political transitions of 2011 in the Arab States, UN Women

recognized the unique opportunities ushered in by these movements for

change. With many countries in the midst of transition, women’s rights advocates

were poised to significantly influence the political landscape and impact gender

relations. In response, UN Women, through its Fund for Gender Equality, launched

a special Call for Proposals in October 2011 to support programmes aimed at the ad-

vancement of women’s empowerment throughout the region.

The response to the Call from women’s organizations and governments in the region

reflected a heightened interest — and a sense of urgency. The Fund for Gender Equal-

ity received 105 grant applications for programs in 17 countries, representing a total

request of US$58,900,684.

The Fund for Gender Equality is pleased to have been able to award US$4.85 million

to support fifteen (15) women’s economic and political empowerment programmes in 8 countries throughout the Arab States region. Selected grantee programmes

reflect an acute focus on economic justice and a deep commitment to enhancing

women’s political participation.

Through these grants, women are poised to continue to make important headway in

the pursuit of gender equality in the Arab States region, but the task is far from done.

This is why the work of the Fund is so critical — now and in the future.

2011-2012 ARAB STATES GRANTEES

ALGERIA

ASSOCIATION OF SOLIDARITY AND FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY AND EXCLUSION, EL GHAITH

Grant Type: ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: Promotion of Equality between Men and Women in the Rural Area

of Bordj Bou Arreridj for Human, Social and Economic Development

Programme Country: Algeria

Amount: USD $200,000

Description: Rural women in Algeria face serious challenges related to unemploy-

ment, social exclusion and lack of respect for their fundamental human rights that

stem from patriarchal interpretations of customs and practices. In addition, the inci-

dence of early marriages deprives young women of opportunities to obtain an educa-

tion and find proper employment. The programme’s strategic approach integrates

technical and financial support, local partnerships, media mobilization, gender sen-

sitization and awareness raising campaigns and will target local authorities, religious

groups and NGOs to help foster a more respectful environment for rural women. It will

build upon existing partnerships between civil society and government institutions, as

it aims to further the economic empowerment of 500 rural women through income-

generating agricultural activities and small manufacturing units.

EGYPT

EGYPTIAN CENTER FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTSGrant Type: POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: A wave of women’s voices — 1,000 and counting . . .

Programme Country: Egypt


Description: The programme’s objective is to mobilize women from all governorates,

who can form a “wave of women’s voices” and take on leadership roles. The initiative

seeks to mobilize a minimum of 1,000 women across Egypt in a one-year period, in order

to create a snowball effect that will encourage additional women to join throughout

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BASIC STATISTICS: 2011-2012 ARAB STATESGRANTMAKING CYCLE

GRANT AMOUNTS:

Total requested amount (from all submitted applications): $58,900,684

FGE amount for funding: $4,850,000

FGE will fund 8% of the total amount

requested from the region

ECONOMIC VS. POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT:

Economic empowerment applications: 58 (55% of total applications)

Political empowerment applications: 47 (45% of total applications)

APPLICATION LANGUAGE:

Arabic-language applications: 38 (36% of total applications)

English-language applications: 67 (64% of total applications)

LEAD AND CO-LEAD ORGANIZATIONS:

Applications from programmes led by women’s NGOs: 95 (90% of total applications)

Applications from programmes led by a partnership between women’s NGOs: 6 (6% of total applications)

Applications from programmes led by individual government agencies: 4 (4% of total applications)

Fund for Gender Equality 2011-2012 Arab States Grantmaking Cycle:

A BRIEF OVERVIEW

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the programme duration and beyond. To attain its main objec-

tive - enhancing women’s political empowerment – the grantee

organization will employ a series of strategies, including network

building, lobbying, advocacy, capacity development and tar-

geted trainings for young women activists.

MINISTRY OF SOCIAL SOLIDARITY AND JUSTICEGrant Type: ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: The Family Cash Allowance



Description: In Egypt, the demand for social justice, inclusion,

and equality were major drivers of the January 25th Revolution.

The development of a Conditional Cash Transfer programme

from the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Justice aims at increas-

ing women’s control over economic resources as it seeks to

restore state accountability to its citizens and empower eco-

nomically disadvantaged women and their families through the

use of cash transfers. The proposal envisages holistic empow-

erment strategies, including mainstreaming gender into social

protection policies, service provision, and capacity building. The

programme’s beneficiaries include 85,000 women and girls and

more than 200 trained social workers whom will implement and

monitor the programme.

THE WOMEN AND MEMORY FORUMGrant Type: POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: Documentation and Empowerment:

The Creation of an Archive of Women’s Voices in Egypt



Description: The Women and Memory Forum is concerned with

the negative representations and perceptions of Egyptian women

that exist in the cultural sphere. A scarcity of disseminated knowl-

edge about the role of women in history, as well as in contemporary

cultural and political life forms a challenging obstacle. This initiative

seeks to advance the cause of women’s political empowerment

and leadership in Egypt by assembling an archive that documents

and highlights the role of women as leaders, activists, and partici-

pants in major movements for change in Egypt. Through a set of

strategies, which include data collection and analysis, information

dissemination, networking, and awareness raising, the programme

will compile women’s narratives, confronting traditional cultural

stereotypes and prejudices to provide an example of women’s

crucial role in formal and informal political life in Egypt. This archive

will be made accessible through publications, social media and a

website for use by women activists, human rights groups, university

students, youth leaders and the general public.

IRAQ

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT ORGANIZATIONGrant Type: POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: Gender Training for Iraqi Academics

& Researchers

Programme Country: Iraq


Description: In Iraq, the armed conflict has had a severe impact

upon Iraq’s academic community. Iraqi women in academia are

in a precarious situation as they face poverty, unemployment,

discrimination, gender-based violence, restrictions in movement

and have limited opportunities for professional development.

Implementation of this programme through trainings, seminars,

conferences and workshops, will aim to support the capacity of

female academics and researchers in Iraq to promote women’s

rights and gender studies initiatives. It also focuses on strength-

ening the exchange of information and experiences among

national, regional and international human rights movements and

on fostering non-traditional alliances. The programme intends

to directly benefit 40 female Iraqi academics and researchers. In

addition, it is also expected that civil society organizations and

women’s rights activists will be able to increase their gender-

sensitive research capacities as well as their abilities to conduct

gender equality campaigns.

LEBANON

AMEL ASSOCIATIONGrant Type: ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: Promoting Access of Rural and Refugee

Women to the Labor Market and Livelihood Opportunities

Programme Country: Lebanon


Description: In Lebanon, Iraqi and Sudanese women refugees carry

the burden of economic responsibility for their families and children

under severe financial and material constraints, as they are often

subject to a high degree of economic insecurity which is com-

pounded by discrimination, a lack of employment opportunities

and the rising cost of living. In addition, marginalized rural women

in Southern Lebanon face some of the same difficulties in terms of

employment and access to markets. The programme seeks to con-

tribute to the economic empowerment of refugee and marginalized

rural women by improving their status within Lebanese society.

It seeks to increase the employability of 460 refugee and rural

women through vocational and educational training in managerial

skills, marketing strategies, and computer/information technology,

in addition to developing specific work opportunities and income-

generating activities that will encourage the growth and the long-

term viability of women’s activities.

SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATURE IN LEBANONGrant Type: ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: Promoting Hima Women Empowerment for

Conservation and Livelihood

Programme Country: Lebanon


Description: In Lebanon, enabling rural and marginalized women

to gain access to natural resources and empowering them to

have a greater sense of ownership on resource management

will reduce poverty levels and will improve women’s well-being,

including by supporting their access to food, medicinal plants,

wood, and clean water. The programme represents an innovative

approach that combines a community conservation focus with

poverty alleviation and economic development initiatives for lo-

cal women. It specifically focuses on the preservation of ecologi-

cal systems, through traditional land designation and natural

resource protection structures, called Himas. The programme’s

strategies include capacity building, awareness raising and sus-

tainable management of natural resources as a tool for improv-

ing the livelihoods of 6,000 women in the 6 established Himas in

Lebanon.

MOROCCO

AKHIAM ASSOCIATIONGrant Type: ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: Capacity Building of Women in the Eastern

High Atlas, for its Economic and Social Empowerment

Programme Country: Morocco


Description: In the Eastern High Atlas Mountain region of Morocco,

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women are on the frontline of key productive sectors, such as agri-

culture, that are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of environ-

mental and social changes, including global warming, the global

economic crisis, geographic marginalization and unsustainable

demographic growth. The programme intends to empower over

400 marginalized or low-income rural women through entrepre-

neurship and capacity building initiatives, such as adult learning

classes, income-generating workshops, household management

skill sessions, and gender-responsive budgeting discussions with

local and national stakeholders. It seeks to achieve its objectives

by employing advocacy, media outreach, and awareness raising

strategies in addition to forming a core group of rural women to

advocate for women’s civil and political rights, building on existing

partnerships with state Ministries and non-governmental organiza-

tions in Morocco.

NATIONAL INSTITUTION FOR SOLIDARITY WITH WOMEN IN DIFFICULTY, INSAF

Grant Type: ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: Training, Personal Development and Socio-pro-

fessional Integration of Single Mothers

Programme Country: Morocco


Description: In Morocco, the plight of young single mothers and

their children born outside of marriage has become a public con-

cern over the past three decades. Despite the progress achieved,

single mothers suffer from discrimination as well as social, legal,

and economic exclusion. The programme aims at re-integrating

single mothers and their children into their communities and at

creating a more respectful environment which will foster their

social stability and economic empowerment. INSAF, which has a

track-record of leadership on this highly taboo topic, aims to ad-

dress this issue through holistic empowerment strategies, includ-

ing awareness raising, advocacy, vocational training and capacity

building, to directly impact the lives of more than 2,000 single

mothers and their children in Casablanca, in addition to 27,200

indirect beneficiaries throughout Morocco.

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY

ANABTA WOMEN WELFARE SOCIETYGrant Type: POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: Women’s Political Empowerment

Programme Country: Occupied Palestinian Territory


Description: In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, women face many

challenges that prevent them from participating in public life and

decision making. The programme represents an innovative approach,

which seeks to encourage women’s political participation and social

involvement through theatre, drawing, arts, and craft techniques.

Through the establishment of House of Women, a cultural center

for gender-based solidarity, the implementing organization aims to

increase women’s visibility and create a space for the cultivation of

their self-expression, which is intended to ultimately lead to more

active political empowerment. The initiative employs a set of strate-

gies, which encompass informal education, specifically music, arts

and drama, as well as training and capacity building, advocacy and

lobbying. More than 200 women and girls in Anabta village, Tulkarem

district, West Bank will benefit from its implementation.

ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN COMMITTEES FOR SOCIAL WORKGrant Type: POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: Enhancing Palestinian Women’s Participation in

Public and Political Life



Description: This programme seeks to increase women’s political

representation at the community level to galvanize new spaces for

Palestinian women’s political empowerment. Working with young

women activists as promoters of social and policy changes, it seeks

to ensure that new quota measures of women’s representation are

translated into tangible results for Palestinian women. The pro-

gramme employs a holistic approach that encompasses improving

networking among women’s NGOs, raising awareness of 15,000 rural

women, building the capacity of female local officials and women

activists, and making local government more responsive to gender

issues including promotion of gender responsive budgeting of these

local councils.

DALIA ASSOCIATIONGrant Type: POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: Women Supporting Women



Description: Palestinian women have a strong history of political

and social activism, which is often challenged by the gender-dif-

ferentiated impact of the male-centered development aid system.

An innovative initiative, called community-controlled grant-mak-

ing, proposes that women take a leadership role in determining

how development resources should be used to benefit their com-

munities. It focuses on building the capacity of women’s organi-

zations to run projects successfully and transparently, while also

facilitating their access to community resources. The programme

will benefit 45 different women’s groups that will be selected by

their peers to receive grants. These groups will implement their

individual projects based entirely on peer support, providing and

receiving advice and assistance on budgeting, procurement and

contracting, financial reporting, community decision-making, self-

monitoring, and resource mobilization.

PALESTINIAN CENTRE FOR PEACE AND DEMOCRACY AND THE JERUSALEM CENTRE FOR WOMENGrant Type: POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: Towards a Democratic Constitution that Grants

Equal Rights to Women



Description: In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the text of a

permanent constitution is yet to be drafted. The available propos-

als only vaguely reflect women’s human rights as they fail to advo-

cate for gender equality in concrete terms. Moreover, Palestinian

women have neither access to the constitution drafting processes,

nor have they yet attained widespread levels of political participa-

tion. The programme intends to influence the constitution drafting

process through lobbying, advocacy and awareness raising strate-

gies in order to ensure that gender equality is embedded in the

new Palestinian Constitution and that the document emphasizes

democratic and political reforms, tolerance, gender equality and

the participation of all Palestinian citizens. 240 women beneficia-

ries will participate in leadership trainings on journalism, media,

law and lobbying in this regard and overall 10,000 Palestinian

women in Gaza and the West Bank are expected to be impacted

by the programme implementation.

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REGIONAL

KARAMAGrant Type: POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: Inclusive Democracy: Ensuring Women’s

Political Rights in Libya, Yemen, and Egypt throughout the Arab

Spring

Programme Country: Egypt, Libya and Yemen

Amount: $565,000

Description: In Egypt, Libya, and Yemen, women are active

political citizens, who have demanded social change during the

transitions occurring in the region. The programme explores the

impact of these transitions on women and aims to increase their

leadership and voice in the political sphere, ultimately advancing

gender equality. Working at a regional level, the implementing

organization will train, support, and strengthen the capacity of

30 local women’s NGOs and 150 women activists and political

leaders in the three targeted countries — Egypt, Libya, and Ye-

men. The programme utilizes a comprehensive set of strategies,

including networking and alliance building, training and capac-

ity building, and advocacy campaigns in addition to hosting

regional consultations as tools to enhance women’s political

empowerment.

STARS OF HOPE SOCIETYGrant Type: POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT

Programme Title: Our Voice Counts

Programme Country: Egypt, Jordan, the Occupied Palestinian

Territory and Yemen


Description: Women with disabilities in the Occupied Palestin-

ian Territory, Egypt, Jordan, and Yemen face multiple challenges,

including social stigmatization, socio-economic exclusion, and

double discrimination (on the basis of gender and disability). The

programme’s main objective is to promote the rights of women

with disabilities as stipulated by CEDAW and the Convention on

the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by increasing their capac-

ity and knowledge and ensuring that technical and financial

support is allocated to their priorities through local and national

level policies. It seeks to improve the capacity of 800 women

with disabilities in the four implementing countries to actively

participate in local and national advocacy campaigns with

emphasis on women’s political rights. The strategies proposed

include advocacy and media campaigns, fostering partnerships,

coalitions, networks and strengthening regional coordination

among women with disabilities.

For information and to donate to the Fund for Gender Equality contact:

Ana-Maria Enriquez, Chief, Fund for Gender Equality

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: +1.917.484.8064

Fax: +1.212.906.1921

Online: www.unwomen.org/fund-for-gender-equality/

To make an online donation visit: www.unwomen.org/how-we-work/fund-for-gender-equality/donation/

UN WOMEN’S FUND FOR GENDER EQUALITY

The advancement of gender equality is integrally linked to women’s economic and political empowerment. UN Women’s

Fund for Gender Equality (FGE) is a grantmaking mechanism that supports women’s greater access to both.

In its inaugural grantmaking cycle, the Fund for Gender Equality awarded grants to 40 grassroots programmes in 35 countries. Fund

for Gender Equality grantee programmes demonstrate great variety in contextualized objectives, scope and approach, but all share a

strong emphasis on practical efforts that result in tangible results in the lives of women and girls.

The Fund for Gender Equality awards two types of grants:

P Women’s political empowerment grants aim at increasing women’s political participation, representation, leadership, and influence

in all spheres of women’s lives, including through trainings and education, and focusing on young women leaders.

P Women’s economic empowerment grants aim at increasing women’s access to and control over resources and assets — including

land, water, technology, and viable employment — while also addressing the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work on women

and girls, with particular emphasis on holistic and environmentally sustainable development approaches.

With generous contributions from the governments of Spain (USD $65 Million), Norway (USD $3.5 Million), Mexico (USD $800,000)

and the Netherlands (USD $1.2 Million) as well as individual donations, the Fund’s total corpus is USD $71 million and constitutes one of

the world’s largest grantmaking funds dedicated to advancing the cause of women’s equality globally.

The Fund for Gender Equality is designed for impact. It has a multi-lingual, transparent application process that is structured to attract

wide-ranging proposals of the highest quality. It relies on a unique Technical Committee, composed of regional experts in women’s

economic and political empowerment, to provide in-depth and contextualized review of proposals. Its online database simplifies the

application process by providing greater accessibility to grant applicants; facilitates transparency and accountability during the ap-

plication review process and supports reliable and accurate data tracking throughout the grantmaking cycle. The Fund is an efficient

mechanism, dedicated to rights-based grantmaking that focuses on the delivery of gender equality commitments. The Fund further-

more employs monitoring specialists, based in every region of the world, to support grantee programme implementation and regularly

track programme progress and results.

Managed by a Secretariat located in New York, every two years during the month of March and in commemoration of International

Women’s Day, the Fund launches a Call for Proposals, manages a world-wide competitive review process, awards grants, aggregates

grantee results, facilitates and shares knowledge among grantees, conducts monitoring and evaluation activities, and raises visibility of

grantees and raises further support. A Steering Committee comprised of donor and programme countries, multilateral agencies, and

civil society representatives ratifies the Technical Committee grant recommendations and oversees the policies of the Fund.

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Technology

Fund For Gender Equality 2011-2012 Arab State Grantees