Addressing Violence against Refugee and/or Forcibly Displaced Women and Girls: Results from the UN Trust Fund’s Special Window 2016-2022

In August 2023, the UN Trust Fund published the second of three briefs on disability, inclusion and intersectionality. The brief, a synthesis review, drew on the practice-based insights arising from projects funded through the UN Trust Fund's Special Window on Refugee and/or Forcibly Displaced Women and Girls and implemented by civil society and women’s rights organizations. The paper shows that the special window supported grantees to work at multiple levels of the socio-ecological model to prevent violence and that their programming had impact at all levels.  

Results overview 

• Over a six-year period (2016-2022), USD 8.5 million was awarded through the special window to 18 projects in 13 countries, with 12 grantees receiving a large grant (over USD 150,000) and six receiving a small grant (under USD 150,000).  
• 35,324 refugee and/or forcibly displaced women and girls were reached directly as primary beneficiaries.  
• The projects had numerous successes through diverse activities designed to meet the needs of refugee and/or forcibly displaced women and girls and address their particular risks of violence.  
• Many grantees adapted their programming, which was critical given the challenging and fluctuating contexts in which the projects operated, including the COVID-19 pandemic.   

Overall contributions of the special window  

The special window supported grantees to work at multiple levels of the socio-ecological model to prevent violence, and their programming showed impact at all levels. Across the multi-level work done by grantees, four cross-cutting catalysers consistently amplified the positive results: 

• participatory approaches to engagement;
• meeting prioritized needs of refugee and/or forcibly displaced women and girls;
• coordinating multiple services; and
• adaptive programming.