Outcome AFG_D_3.5

Civil society organizations are able to advocate on, and prevent and respond to VAWG through support from the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund & Spotlight Initiative Fund

There has been some progress on this outcome. Following the siege of power by the de facto authorities mid-August 2021, the gender equality architecture in Afghanistan was dismantled with the abolishment of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, and the absence of any women in the de facto authority governing structure. Many women leaders—from all walks of life—fled the country, fearing the consequences for dedicating their lives to gender equality. While women’s civil society continues to exist in Afghanistan, their operations have been significantly controlled by the de facto authorities and curtailed. In this operating context, UN Women focus in 2022, was on strategic engagement with the Taliban to realize gender specific outcomes including on women needs and the need for shelters supporting survivors of violence which were closed to be re/opened. In the light of a constrained operating context women civil society organizations are operating, UN Women strategy and approach included support to CSOs to deliver coordinated, comprehensive support to women ang girl survivors of violence, with some awareness raising integrated in programming, which have reached at least 1,673 people (f-860; m-813). This was done primarily through the provision of institutional and programming grants. In addition, overall, 21 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have been funded and technically supported to advocate, respond, and prevent VAWG through the provision of capacity development. Trainings and awareness of staff on gender, prevention from sexual exploitation and abuse and child protection policies were conducted, which increased the capacity to comply with internal policies and ensure effective management of resources. This provided initial background for the development of essential risk and EVAW strategies and other tools that have strengthened organizations’ accountability mechanisms towards local communities and are continued to use by staff in their efforts to protect and promote women and girls against GBV. For what concerns human resources, partner CSOs have adopted policies and different tools to protect women and girls’ safety, physical and mental health, and security so they can ensure that women human rights are respected. Trainings were also provided to staff on how to work together for tackling family violence, gender concepts, different forms of violence against women, self-help group management, communication, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting, how to prioritize the GBV survivor’s rights needs and empower women, and Psycho-Social Counselling. Thus far the original strategy and ToC for this outcome is largely still applicable. If as expected this strategy to engage partners via a capacity development model is successful, then continued support will ensure and continually increase advocacy efforts on as well as prevention and response to VAWG.

Civil society organizations are able to advocate on, and prevent and respond to VAWG through support from the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund & Spotlight Initiative Fund

Prior to the fall of Kabul, UN Women finalized and signed 6 project documents of WPHF-Spotlight grantees, with the rest of the 11 project documents in the final stages. After the fall of Kabul, UN Women conducted a rapid assessment to understand the status and operationality of the WPHF-Spotlight grantees. Grantees all had expressed their willingness to continue to implement with funding under WPHF-SI, that was more than ever needed. Clarity from WPHF, Spotlight and the European Union was needed to inform the ways forward with the WPHF-Spotlight grantees. Following the European Union, Spotlight and Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund’s green light to proceed, UN Women liaised with the 16 final grantees to support them through the contracting process (vendor forms, capacity assessment, prodoc, budget, FACE form, etc). The process will be finalized in Q1 2022 for the projects to start in January and February 2022.