Outcome AFG_D_3.3

Women survivors of VAWG have increased access to quality, comprehensive services

To improve access to quality services to VAW survivors, respond to gaps in geographical coverage, lack of sustainable funding and inconsistencies in the quality of services provided in Women Protection Centers, as well as to ensure that shelters can provide critical services in a strategic and coordinated way, UN Women under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Women Affairs (MoWA), launched the Women Protection Center Trust Fund in May 2021. The Trust Fund was fully operational in June 2021. The services were expanded from 11 to 14 provinces, reaching 1263 women survivors of VAW through the WPC Trust Fund, increasing access to quality services for women survivors of VAW. However, with the deterioration of the security situation and fall of the provinces in the hands of the Taliban and eventually fall of Kabul, the VAWG services across the country were suspended, leading to the closure of WPCs and FGCs across the country and in a few instances confiscation of the centers by the Taliban. Despite the close of services in the provinces, UN Women supported partners to continue services in Kabul, which were limited to providing safe accommodation and some psycho-social support. The safety of partners, their staff, and clients remains a priority for UN Women. UN Women was in constant communication with partners to understand their challenges and provide the critical support they needed. As the service for the VAWG survivors remains relevant, and the needs are still dire, therefore, in the last quarter of 2021, UN Women started serious consultations with partners to identify a way forward for the reopening of the services with a modified design and structure.

Women survivors of VAWG have increased access to quality, comprehensive services

There has been some progress on this outcome. In the light of a constrained operating context women civil society organizations are operating, UN Women Afghanistan strategy and approach has been to provide support to CSOs to deliver coordinated, comprehensive support to women ang girl survivors of violence, with some elements of awareness raising integrated in programming, which have reached at least 1,673 people (f-860; m-813). This was done primarily through funding support, institutional capacity development, as well as work to develop standard operation procedures (SOPs), guidelines, guidance for VAWG services, in line with international standards developed and/or updated with the support of UN Women. During the reporting year, a total of 21 civil society organizations (CSO) partners have received support to operate across 12 provinces of Afghanistan. Through the operations of Women Protection Centers (WPCs), 193 survivors of violence and 57 accompanied children accessed coordinated, quality, essential services during the year 2022. Through the operation of Family Recourse Centers (FRCs), 9,834 women accessed coordinated, quality, essential services during the year 2022. Furthermore, during the reporting period, UN Women Afghanistan provided technical assistance to the Essential Services Network (ESN) to find a consensus on governance structure and objectives of the network, which has been mobilized to ensure increased access to comprehensive and coordinated GBV services. Thus far the original strategy and ToC for this outcome is largely still applicable. However, the renewed risk to safety and security, movement restrictions and ban on NGO workers, will have extensive impacts on the feasibility of women and girl survivors and those at risk of violence to access quality, comprehensive services. This also comes with risks and anticipated regression on progress and operations. Therefore, the ToC and accompanying programme strategy is being reviewed for 2023 to allow for greater flexibility, innovation and focus on prevention.