Integrated Disabled Women’s Activities (IDIWA) organization implemented the three-year project “Eliminating Sexual and Gender-Based Violence against Women and Girls with Disabilities” in Uganda with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The final evaluation revealed that IDIWA successfully carried out the planned project activities and made a significant contribution to systematizing the process and involving various actors to address and respond to sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities and other women.

In Nigeria, HACEY Health Initiative implemented the three-year “The Stop Cut Project – Ending Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting in Southwest Nigeria”. The project aimed to promote effective implementation of laws and policies that protect women and girls from female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C), increase community engagement, and advocate for the abolition of FGM/C in three states by engaging stakeholders at the individual, family, societal and state levels. The final evaluation found that the project’s activities to raise awareness on laws and policies prosecuting FGM culprits were highly effective.

The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Cameroon implemented a three-year project, “Making Violence against Women and Girls History in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon”, with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The project aimed to ensure that women and girls in the two regions were better protected from violence and empowered to realize their right to live free from violence. The final evaluation found that the project helped make women more aware of gender-based violence, more willing to talk about it, and more confident to approach legal services to demand justice; and were advocating for the promotion of their rights.

The National Union of Women with Disabilities of Uganda implemented a three-year project, “Reducing Violence Against Women and Girls with Disabilities in Amuria District of Uganda”, with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The project aimed to decrease physical, sexual, psychological and emotional violence against women and girls with disabilities (WGWD) in the three sub-counties in Amuria district by 2021. The final evaluation found that the project fully met its objectives and was instrumental in addressing the practical and most pressing needs of WGWD.

In the Murewa, Goromonzi and Kwekwe/Zibagwe districts of Zimbabwe, the Family AIDS Caring Trust (FACT) implemented a three-year project, “Voices from the Fringes: Sex Workers and Adolescent Girls and Young Women Action against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence”, supported by the UN Trust Fund under the Spotlight Initiative. This project aimed to promote women’s sexual and reproductive health rights and address sexual and gender-based violence by bringing the marginalized voices and concerns of female sex workers, adolescent girls and young women from the fringes to the fore in the interventions to end such violence. The final evaluation found that the project’s objectives were covered effectively and that the project surpassed its target of 18 solidarity groups for female sex workers, adolescent girls and young women.

Fund for Congolese Women (Fonds pour les Femmes Congolaises) implemented a three-year project, “Prevention and Reduction of Violence in Schools”, with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The project aimed to ensure that 600 girls in 10 target provinces feel safer and better equipped to protect themselves against sexual violence in schools in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The final evaluation found that girls in schools had increased knowledge of the rights of women and girls, the various forms of sexual violence, and the laws against sexual violence.

In Zimbabwe, Voluntary Services Overseas in collaboration with Women and Law in Southern Africa implemented the “SPEAK IT LOUD” project with the support of the UN Trust Fund under the Spotlight Initiative. This three-year project centred on amplifying the voices of women’s movements to address violence against women and girls in Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West and Manicaland provinces in Zimbabwe. The final evaluation found that, despite the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the denial of a no-cost extension, the project achieved in part its goals.

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. 

Leonard Cheshire Disability Zimbabwe implemented a three-year project “Access to Justice for Girls and Women with Disabilities in Zimbabwe” with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The project aimed to ensure that girls and women with disabilities have improved safety and access to justice. The final evaluation found that the project was successfully implemented through its strategic pillars of response and prevention.

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 Help Age International’s initiative “Ensuring Gender and Age Dimensions of Human Rights are Realised in Moldova” for three years. The project aimed to empower older women survivors of gender-based violence to make them feel safe and secure, and to increase their knowledge and confidence. The final evaluation concluded that the programme was successful and efficient.

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.

The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women funded Grassroot Soccer’s initiative “SKILLZ Street Plus”. The project aimed to improve the ability of girls aged 13 to 16 to choose intimate partners who respect gender equality and to prevent and address violence in their lives. The final evaluation concluded that the programme was well implemented, with coaches efficiently delivering school-based sessions.

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.

From January 2014 to January 2017, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women funded SOS-Esclaves’ initiative “Justice for Women Leaving Slavery” in Mauritania. The project was built on interconnected activities and international advocacy. The final evaluation found it had been particularly successful in providing legal and educational support for women and children through training, access to legal services and work with government institutions.

The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women funded Najoti Kudakon’s initiative “Establishment of the Women's Support Group and improving of the shelter in Kulob city”. The project, implemented in partnership with Dunyoi Kudakon , aimed to support women and girls living in remote, mountainous areas of Tajikistan’s Kulob region. The final evaluation concluded that the programme was well implemented and successful.

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 UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women provided funding for “Women’s Empowerment in Afghanistan and Tajikistan for Displaced Persons through Legal Aid and Training to Combat Violence against Women” initiative from January 2013 – November 2015. The evaluation found the most significant change to be the increasing awareness of women’s rights and SBGV in Afghanistan.

The European Center for Minority Issues in Kosovo implemented the project "Empowering Minority Communities in Kosovo against Gender-Based Violence" between January 2014 and December 2015, with support from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that the project’s goals and outputs were achieved through consultation with project partners, cooperation with local stakeholders and input from paralegals.

The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women funded Physicians for Human Rights’ three-year initiative “Formation of a Medico-Legal Network to Address Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict in Central and Eastern Africa” from September 2011 to August 2014. The project aimed to provide professionals with the resources, knowledge and skills needed to support survivors of sexual violence. The final evaluation concluded that a survivor-centred approach enabled the programme to achieve positive change in the targeted areas.