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VAWG programmes that work with a range of WROs, representing the needs and priorities of diverse women and girls, are more likely to be inclusive and effective. Within Spotlight Initiative, the Civil Society Reference Groups serve as a valuable mechanism to encourage the participation of diverse WROs in the programme. For example, in Argentina, the Civil Society Reference Group expanded their membership to ensure a broader representation of women with different intersectional statuses and identities. New organisations joined the group, including representatives of women living with HIV/AIDS…
Co-designing VAWG programmes helps ensure that interventions are more relevant and responsive to the diverse needs of WROs and the communities they serve. By actively involving these organisations in the design process, it can increase the likelihood of sustainable, impactful programmes. It can also help ensure that programmes are more likely to reach diverse groups of women and girls. For example, in Grenada and Jamaica, WROs participated in the design phase of Spotlight Initiative calls for proposals to help increase the accessibility and inclusiveness of funding. For more information, see…
Core, flexible funding is vital for WROs because it provides the financial stability needed to plan, adapt, and sustain their work effectively. Historically, funding has been mainly programmatic, with fixed, often short, timeframes and limited flexibility for indirect/support costs. This constrained approach can leave WROs exposed during emergencies when programmes need to adapt or are cut, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or conflict outbreaks. For example, 91% of organisations surveyed in the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) 2021 annual CSO survey said their existence was at risk due…
Many WROs operate with limited resources, often volunteering their time and expertise to drive change. Offering financial remuneration for their participation in events and initiatives acknowledges WRO’s valuable contributions and helps cover any personal expenses incurred (e.g. mobile data and transportation costs). Spotlight Initiative has developed a Guidance Note on the compensation of Civil Society Reference Group (CSRG) members, which acknowledges that many WRO representatives engage in CSRG activities alongside their regular responsibilities, activism, and household/care work. The…
One of the most significant barriers for WROs in accessing funding is the complexity and lack of harmonisation in application and reporting processes. Key recommendations in the Spotlight Initiative Inclusive Funding Learning Brief include: streamlining processes (e.g. harmonised templates), sharing operational procedures on procurement, finance and HR, and improving communication and accessibility of information for WROs about how to access funding. For example, the Spotlight Initiative programme in Ecuador used a ‘piggyback’ modality to leverage a procurement process used by another UN…
In 2019, the United Nations’ Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) and Spotlight Initiative established a strategic partnership to channel funding to civil society organizations (CSOs) working to end violence against women and girls (VAWG) in conflict and crisis situations.
The lack of financial resources is a common constraint for grassroots women’s groups in Uganda. Any coalition’s work must be accompanied by economic empowerment. As part of the partnership between the WPHF and Spotlight Initiative, Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET) received support. As part of this partnership, UWONET…
In 2019, the United Nations’ Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) and Spotlight Initiative established a strategic partnership to channel funding to civil society organizations (CSOs) working to end violence against women and girls (VAWG) in conflict and crisis situations. WPHF and Spotlight Initiative also collaborated to strengthen networking and peer learning among CSO partners from across the world through the Global Learning Hub (L-HUB) online events.
As part of WPHF and Spotlight Initiative’s partnership, support was provided to Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET). As a result of…
In 2019, the United Nations’ Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) and Spotlight Initiative established a strategic partnership to channel funding to civil society organizations (CSOs) working to end violence against women and girls (VAWG) in conflict and crisis situations. WPHF and Spotlight Initiative collaborated to strengthen networking and peer learning among CSO partners from across the world through the Global Learning Hub (L-HUB) online events.
As part of the WPHF and Spotlight Initiative partnership, support was provided to the CSO Green Concern for Development (GREENCODE), i…
In 2019, the United Nations’ Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) and Spotlight Initiative established a strategic partnership to channel funding to civil society organizations (CSOs) working to end violence against women and girls (VAWG) in conflict and crisis situations. As part of this effort, WPHF and Spotlight Initiative also collaborated to strengthen networking and peer learning among CSO partners from across the world through the Global Learning Hub (L-HUB) online events.
WPHF and Spotlight Initiative’s partnership led to new support to Association des Femmes de Madeline (AFM…
in Mozambique, Spotlight Initiative provided support to local organisations to improve community-based coalition and movement building. This support resulted in over 25 local civil society organisations and community-based organisations exchanging their experiences on best practices and challenges on sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence and child marriage. District platforms were created, in alignment with the country’s policy of decentralisation, to promote the human rights of women and girls. These platforms led to 285…