Woman Forum Elbasan (WFE) implemented the three-year project 'Improved access for women and girl survivors of violence in Elbasan Region’ in Albania, with the support of the UN Trust Fund between 2018 and 2021.

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.

From January 2016 to March 2019, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women provided funding for “Fathers are Here for Gender Equality”, a project run by the Mother and Child Education Foundation (ACEV, a twice-funded grantee) to change men’s attitudes to gender equality and violence against women and girls. The final evaluation found positive changes in families; at least 10 per cent of fathers who had used violence according to their spouses stopped doing so after participating in the training.

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 project “Creating a Coordinated Response Mechanism to Prevent and Combat Domestic Violence in Armenia”, implemented by the Women’s Support Center in Armenia, 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 increased awareness about domestic violence and gender-based violence, and improved the practices of service providers and police officers.

In January 2015, Alliance against Discrimination of LGBT People launched the two-year project “Reduce Violence against Women, with Focus on LBT community in Albania”, with the support of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that the project improved the lives of LBT women experiencing violence, especially of those living outside the capital, mainly through improved and more integrated care.

From December 2013 to March 2015, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women provided funding to the Ukrainian Women Fund for its initiative “Young Girls Leaders Promote Strong Stand against VAW among their Peers”. The final evaluation found that the project strategies were particularly efficient in promoting ideas of gender equality and zero-tolerance to violence against women and girls.