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.

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.

Society Without Violence received funding from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women for its initiative “Integration of gender and gender-based violence subject into educational curriculum in the frames of National 211-215 Strategic Plan” in Armenia from January 2014 to December 2016. The project aimed to empower girls to understand violence and prevent intimate partner and non-partner gender-based violence. The final evaluation found that the project increased awareness on issues related to gender and gender-based violence.

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.

The project Father Training for Violence-Free Families was implemented in Turkey by the Mother Child Education Foundation (AÇEV) from September 2010 to September 2013 with a two-year grant from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that working with men to prevent gender-based violence related to awareness of and attitudes towards violence.