Projects

The project’s objective was to reinforce the political participation of former slaves, by promoting the equality of rights between former slaves (Harratines) and former masters (Bydhanes) in order to maintain inter-community peace in the region of Hoch El Gharbi, desert areas located in the South-East of Mauritania.

The project organized training for judges and activities to create discussion among magistrates on the adoption of the Ethical and Deontological Code in Niger.

Working with women’s community-based organizations and municipal authorities the project aimed to enhance the social and economic rights of women in Niger by supporting Gender Responsive Budgeting.

The main objective of the project was to strengthen democratic processes and the rule of law, through the progressive incorporation of grass-roots organizations and marginalized sections of the Moroccan society in elaborating and monitoring public policy. The project strategy was structured around capacity building of civil society organizations to participate in democratic mechanisms, and support to marginalized groups, in particular women and youth, to foster their inclusion as protagonists in the management of public affairs.

The project objective overall was on empowering women in eight Pacific Islands. Initially the project was to concentrate on Fiji, but after a number of specific challenges including floods, political instability and the termination of elected councilors in Fiji and the country’s suspension from the Commonwealth, the project had to be redesigned. The focus shifted from elected representatives at municipal level to women working at management and service-delivery levels in local government.

The project aimed to increase women’s political representation and increase their familiarity with governance issues and build their leadership skills. The project undertook training through an e-platform across four countries in the Pacific to achieve these goals. A subsequent “BGLP governance and leadership contest‟ was intended to promote bottom-up governance initiatives by women in their local communities.

The project aimed to create conditions for more active civic engagement among poor rural citizens. It also aimed to strengthen the capacities of local government to be more accountable and effective in rural provinces in Bangladesh. Project activities were undertaken pre- and post-elections. In line with Bangladesh’s National Rural Development Policy and the constitutional mandate, the project made a deliberate effort to reach out to socially disadvantaged communities.

The project aimed to promote the involvement and participation of women in electoral processes and democratic governance. Following the decision of all but one of the opposition parties not to participate in the National Assembly elections, the grantee expanded the project to the local government elections. Project activities included focus groups about women’s rights to encourage active representation of women in the community decision-making processes. Open forums and regional radio programmes generated knowledge and vibrant discussion among the wider public.

The project undertook an advocacy campaign to support the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which was signed by the government of Georgia in 2009 but not ratified. The overall development goal of the campaign was to counter the social and economic exclusion of disabled people in Georgia. The project produced a number of media outputs - radio and TV broadcasts, information spots, and organized several events. These activities significantly improved the availability of information about disabled persons and contributed to a change in public perception.

The grantee hoped to empower Civil Society Organizations and community leaders in Lao PDR and, to give them the skills and knowledge to contribute meaningfully to the country’s development. The project involved training various levels of staff in Lao non-profit associations to ensure that they would be able to share the technical knowledge and practical skills needed to transform their organizations into professionally run civil society organizations.