Hagar International implemented the three-year project “Building capacity of duty bearers and beneficiaries to improve access to services for women and children survivors of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence and change community’s attitude and behaviour towards violence against women” in Nghe An and Yen Bai provinces in Viet Nam with the support of the UN Trust Fund from 2019 to 2022. The project aimed to address violence against women and children in four communes by improving access to services for survivors, enhancing multi-sectoral coordination of services, and changing community members’ attitudes and behaviour towards gender-based violence. The final evaluation revealed that the project substantially contributed to reducing rates of violence against women and children, improved survivors’ ability to identify and respond to violence, and strengthened the capacity of officials, village leaders and women’s union members to provide emergency support and referral services.

The Association for Combating Trafficking of Human Beings and All Forms of Gender-based Violence (Atina) implemented the project "Making a difference for refugee women and girls in Serbia” for over three years in 2018-2021 with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The project aimed to ensure that refugee and asylum-seeking women and girls in Serbia were better protected against violence. The final evaluation found that the project was very successful in achieving its goals and outcomes, with most of the results exceeding targets. 

In Serbia, Mental Disability Rights Initiative of Serbia (MDRI-S) in partnership with women’s rights organization FemPlatz implemented the project “Accessible Services for Women with Disabilities Survivors of Custodial Violence” between 2019 and 2021 with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The twice-funded project aimed to ensure that women and girls with mental disabilities have greater support to live their life free of custodial violence. The final evaluation found that, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project partially achieved its goals. 

This independent, final evaluation presents the findings of the cluster evaluation of three small grant projects implemented between March 2017 and February 2020 and funded by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women:1. “Improving Access to Life With No Violence for Women Survivors in Central and Northern Montenegro”, implemented by SOS Hotline for Women and Children Victims of Violence, Niksic;2. “Empowering Survivors of Domestic Violence in the Tetovo Region”, implemented by Women’s Forum–Tetovo in Montenegro; and3. “Actively and Publicly Combating Discrimination – Gender Based Violence”, implemented by the Center for Girls in Serbia. The final evaluation found that the empowerment and awareness-raising strategies implemented by the projects were effective, innovative and well adjusted to the target groups.

The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women funded “Addressing Violence Against Syrian Refugee Women in the Kurdistan Region of Northern Iraq”, a project implemented by Women for Women International . The project aimed to support women affected by conflict, including Syrian refugees, members of the host community, and internally displaced populations in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah. The evaluation found that the project was effective and improved the lives of the intended beneficiaries.

From March 2017 to February 2019, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women provided funding to Asuda for Combating Violence against Women for its initiative “Improving the Response Mechanisms to Sexual and Gender-based Violence against Syrian Refugee Women and Girls in Iraqi Kurdistan”, which was run in partnership with the Ceasefire Center for Civilian Rights. The initiative included all actors involved in the issue of sexual and gender-based violence in the context of a displaced population. The final evaluation found the project had improved community and stakeholders’ responses and social attitudes towards sexual and gender-based violence in Syrian refugee communities, and that the project’s strategy should be used as a model for other initiatives in a similar cultural and humanitarian context.

The project “Preventing Violence through Creating Safer Schools” was implemented in Guyana by Help & Shelter between January 2016 and January 2019 with financial support from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that school-aged girls who participated in the project felt more confident to speak out against violence and to seek support. Secondary school students trained during the project better understood gender-based violence and gained knowledge of laws related to gender-based violence, domestic violence and children’s rights.

The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women provided funds for the Autonomous Women’s Center’s project “No Tolerance for Gender Based-Violence” between January 2016 and December 2018. The initiative disseminated information, changed individual attitudes, raised awareness about gender-based violence, and facilitated advocacy activities. The final evaluation found that the Center increased youth understanding of gender-based violence and contributed to changing boys’ attitudes about it.

The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women provided funds for the Association of Roma Novi Bečej from January 2016 to December 2018 to support its initiative “No More Victims ¬– Roma Women and Girls Respond to Violence”. The final evaluation found that the project significantly contributed to ending violence against women in Novi Bečej municipality, particularly through education and improved service provision.

From January 2016 to January 2019, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women provided funds for the Provincial Secretariat for Health, Social Policy and Demography’s initiative “STOP–CARE–CURE: A Stronger Institutional Response to Gender-based Violence in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina”. The final evaluation found the project improved protection against gender-based violence and established pilot centres for survivors.

The Institute for Development and Community Health in Viet Nam implemented the initiative “Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence against Pregnant and Lactating Women” in Kien Xuong district, Thai Binh province, from January 2016 to December 2018 with funding from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that the project improved knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in pregnant and lactating mothers, and increased the ability of communities and families to prevent violence.

The project “Deinstitutionalize and End Violence against Women with Disabilities in Custodial Institutions”, implemented by Mental Disability Rights Initiative of Serbia, was funded from January 2016 to January 2018 by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that the project successfully brought the perspectives and experiences of women with disabilities in institutions to the attention of decision-makers, prompting institutional and policy change.

ALAFIA received funding from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women to implement the project “Eradication of harmful customary widowhood practices that can lead to HIV/AIDS infection” in 24 villages in Togo. The final evaluation showed that the project ended degrading and humiliating widowhood rites against women in these villages and established the principle of equal sharing of inheritance between women and men.

Plan International received a grant from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women for its three-year project “Gender Responsive School Pilot Model” in Viet Nam. The final evaluation found that the project was highly relevant and efficient at capacity development in the 20 schools with which it engaged, improving knowledge and influencing government policies.

The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women allocated funds to B92, a Serbian broadcasting organization, for its initiative “Safe House Economic Empowerment” that ran from December 2013 to February 2016. The project aimed to empower girls to understand violence and prevent intimate partner and non-partner gender-based violence. The evaluation found that the project significantly contributed to ongoing efforts in Serbia to end violence against women and girls.

The project Integrated Response to Gender-Based Violence against Women in Serbia was implemented by the UN Country Team in Serbia from November 2012 to October 2015 and received a three-year grant from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that the project had contributed significantly to the building of an integrated response of the UN Country Team, the Serbian Government and development partners to violence against women by improving capacities of key stakeholders to implement measures to address the violence.

The project Towards a Comprehensive System to End Violence against Women in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina was implemented by the Provincial Secretariat for Labour, Employment and Gender Equality from January 2009 to December 2012, with three-year grant support from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation recognized the positive impact of the project on women beneficiaries and on national policy and the legislative framework.