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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 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…
In 2021, Spotlight Initiative established the Pacific Feminist Community of Practice (PacFemCOP). This was moderated by DIVA for Equality in Fiji. It involved a co-creation process between 20 CSOs and around 80 activists from across the region. Through PacFemCOP, these activists were able to document feminist best practice from across the region, including topics such as feminist approaches to gender, ecological and climate justice; elimination of VAWG; how to mobilize, organize and action for change; feminist approaches to economic justice; SOGIESC; bodily autonomy and integrity; and sexual…
In Honduras, the Centre for Justice and International Law, in partnership with women’s rights organisations, civil society organisations and feminist organisations, worked tirelessly over five years to campaign for the passage of “La Esperanza Protocol”. This was published in December 2021 and is now recognised as the international standard for the investigation and response to threats and attacks against human rights defenders. Thanks to the work of WROs, the protocol includes a specific focus on the contribution of women human rights defenders to strengthening democracy. It also recognises…
In Malawi, Spotlight Initiative strengthened women’s movements in three regions (north, central and southern regions) and supported the formation of a national level movement: The Women’s Manifesto, coordinated by civil society organisations. Aligning with the principle of leave no one behind, the movement’s leadership includes rural women, survivors of violence, persons with disabilities and persons with albinism. Sixty five leaders from the movement developed their ability to use community scorecards (as a social accountability tool), create action plans and advance evidence-based advocacy…
In 2021, Spotlight Initiative in Tajikistan supported the establishment of the School of Gender Activists (SGA). This initiative is the first-of-its-kind, aimed at building the capacities of CSOs working to end VAWG. The SGA works to train up local experts who can advise the Committee of Women and Family Affairs, as well as other ministries implementing and promoting gender policies in Tajikistan. The programme to establish the SGA was split into two phases. The first focused on individuals already working within NGOs, while the second targeted youth aged 18-35. The programme also engaged with…