Oxfam Canada

Purpose

The project aims to support Afghan women and girls to participate more effectively in decision making processes. It addresses gender-based violence by supporting stakeholders to strengthen the implementation of policies and programs, changing attitudes, and providing survivors of violence with enhanced access to support services and economic opportunity. The project also strengthens coordination among key women’s organizations, in particular, members of the Afghan Women’s Network, by increasing their capacity and collaboration around accountability, knowledge sharing, and joint advocacy related to women’s rights and empowerment. Project activities include: (1) increasing awareness among 5,400 women and 2,700 men (including religious and political leaders) of the legal rights of women and girls, including the Elimination of Violence Against Women Law; (2) establishing and equipping nine district level consultation centers to provide legal, protection and referral services; (3) training district level law enforcement bodies on more effective provision of legal support; (4) increasing access to economic opportunities and support an enabling environment for women’s economic empowerment; (5) increasing membership, knowledge sharing and management capacity of 125 organizations members of the Afghan Women’s Network; and (6) increasing capacity of the Afghan Women’s Network to develop joint accountability mechanisms. Overall, the project is expected to benefit 26,800 direct beneficiaries in 60 communities including women and girls, survivors of violence, men and boys, and religious and political leaders. Indirectly, the project is expected to benefit 3,500 individual members of the 125 women's organizations in the Afghan Women's Network. Similarly, the Afghan civil society organisations reached by the initiative’s advocacy strategies indirectly benefit from the intended programming efforts, notably with regard to increased participation of women and girls in decision making.