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.

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.

International Solidarity Foundation (ISF) implemented a three-year project, “Community Driven FGM/C Abandonment and Women Empowerment in Somaliland”, with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The project aimed to empower local communities to abandon all forms of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). The final evaluation found that there was clear evidence of the project contributing to strengthening community commitment to ending the practice of FGM/C.

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.

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.

The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women funded Trocaire’s initiative “Preventing and Responding to Violence Against Women and Girls in Nakuru and Nairobi Counties” in Kenya for three -years. The objective was to reduce violence, abuse and discrimination against adolescent girls and young women, as well as stigmatization of these women and girls, in eight informal settlements. The final evaluation found that the project’s strategy was highly relevant and successfully implemented.

Women Judges Association of Malawi implemented the project “Women Judges Lead the Fight to Demand Justice and Accountability for Sexual Violence Survivors in Malawi” between March 2017 and February 2019, supported by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that the project achieved criminal justice reform, empowered women and girls to access justice, and increased the confidence of judges and magistrates to work with laws relating to gender-based violence.

To address widespread female genital mutilation (FGM) in Tanzania’s Serengeti District, AMREF Health Africa ran the “Female Genital Mutilation Elimination Project in the Serengeti District” from January 2016 to December 2018, an initiative supported by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that the project significantly increased awareness of the adverse health effects and the human rights aspects of FGM among girls and young women.

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.

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.

The project Traditional Leaders Championing Prevention of Domestic Violence in their Communities in Lesotho and Malawi was implemented by the Southern Africa HIV and AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS) from September 2011 to August 2014 and received a three-year grant from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that in general, the project brought about positive behaviour change within communities in the fight to eliminate harmful cultural practices.

The project Integrated Governmental and Community Based Strategy for Response and Prevention of Violence against Women in South Sudan was implemented by the American Refugee Committee from September 2011 to August 2013, and received three-year grant support from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that the programme creatively engaged multi-sectoral service providers in the government and communities to respond effectively to gender-based violence issues by transforming attitudes and norms to the benefit of the entire society.