As part of FundsforNGOs new series “Interview with the Donor”, today we have spoken with UN Women to provide further insight into the newly announced Call for Proposals by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women . Adijana Sisic, Chief of the Trust Fund which is administered by UN Women on behalf of the UN System, has kindly joined us to tell us what the fund is for, the type of projects and organisations who should apply and some advice for applicants too.
Before we get started. Take two minutes to watch a great video introduction to the End Violence against Women Fund.
Robin Toal: Could you please introduce UN Women for anyone unfamiliar with you work?
Aldijana Sisic: UN Women was established by the UN General Assembly in 2010 and works to achieve gender equality. The organisation works with governments, civil society organisations, NGOs and other grassroots organisations in countries around the world. We support projects that work towards gender equality in Leadership and Political Participation, Economic Empowerment, Peace and Security, Governance and National Planning, HIV / AIDS and Ending Violence against Women. We want to help create a world that enables women to achieve equality and fulfil their potential.
RT: You’ve recently launched a new global funding opportunity. Can you tell us what the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women is designed to achieve?
AS: It was the Fund’s 17th birthday this year and represents one of the most concrete tools at our disposal to end violence against women. It provides resources for civil society organisations active on the ground and in the field with just one major goal – end violence against women.
We’re proud that the Fund continues to grow each year despite the economic downturn due to the continued support of our donors that include governments, the private sector and concerned individuals. The Fund awarded seventeen new grants worth over $8m in the last round of funding which was finalised just last month in November having received over 2,000 applications. Over the lifetime of the Fund we have distributed over $95m to 368 initiatives in 132 countries and territories.
The recently announced Call for Proposals will be the Fund’s 18th year and we hope to be able to fundraise up to $15m that would be available to civil society and grassroots organisations in every continent on the earth.
RT: What do you consider the major achievements of UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women to date?
AS: The Fund has supported over 368 projects throughout the world working alongside governments and NGOs big and small. These projects have created significant developments including school curriculums being improved, changes in law, shelters built and data collected to support national action plans.
We’re known for funding innovative projects and believe that we have demonstrated that we are prepared to fund projects that perhaps others are not. One of our recent grant winners, Physicians for Human Rights, have developed a mobile application that can store and transfer forensic evidence between crime scenes and hospitals. This enables significantly faster analysis as well as ensuring that evidence cannot be lost or damaged. The new application is expected to increase the speed and reliability of prosecutions in cases of violence against women.
All of the projects we work with are designed to become sustainable after the initial funding period has finished and we work dilligently in support of partner organisations to ensure lasting change. Successful applicants are supported to develop replicable and sustainable solutions that can be applied in other locations.
RT: Achieving sustainability should be the long term aim of any NGO, but to do so is extremely challenging. What exit strategies are welcomed by UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women?
AS: We believe the best partnerships combine grassroots organisations with governments. NGOs on the ground understand their communities, have good reach and are respected whilst governments are responsible to legislate long term change at a national level.
UN Trust Fund works alongside all of our grantees from the start. We support them to develop knowledge, skills and capacity to help them achieve their goals. Our grantees are supported over multiple years with training programs, ongoing monitoring and evaluation which enable them to achieve concrete results whilst also providing an early warning system in case of any project difficulties. This has ensured that we tackle emergent issues before they cause significant problems and protects the investments we’ve made in the area.
RT: What type of organisations should apply to the Fund?
AS: In 2014 the End Violence against Women Fund is particularly keen to attract more proposals from the Arab states. We would encourage applicants from this region in particular to apply and are working to make the application more accessible as we believe language barriers may have previously prevented suitable NGOs from applying.
We would also particularly encourage smaller grassroots women’s organisations as well as youth led organisations around the world to apply because if we are to create lasting change we need to support the next generation. The Fund is most successful when it is able to prevent violence against women to begin with and we look forward to engaging more actively with the youth of the world.
RT: You spoke earlier about how competitive the process is, what advice would you offer to applicants to the Fund?
AS: It is really important that applicants are able to be specific about their proposed projects and what they will achieve. How will the project make a difference to women or a girl who experience violence? How will you reach your beneficiaries? How will the project be funded in the future? Organisation’s should be able to demonstrate how they can create a direct link to their projects beneficiaries too.
One of the most common weaknesses we see in the applications we receive are either inflated budgets or budgets that do not fit with the stated activities and goals of the project. Ensuring that organisation’s proposed budgets are accurate and reflect the true nature of the project should be a one of priorities for all applicants.
Discover more about the UN Trust Fund’s End Violence against Women Fund and how you can apply by visiting their website here.
