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Call for Strengthening Response to Violence Against Women (South Africa)

Deadline: 03-Jul-2026

UN Women is inviting proposals to strengthen systems that prevent and respond to violence against women and girls (VAWG) in South Africa and Lesotho. The programme focuses on institutional capacity building, survivor-centred policing, community-based prevention, and social norm change to reduce gender-based violence and femicide.

Funding ranges from USD 30,000 to USD 50,000 for a 10-month implementation period, with a strong emphasis on coordinated action between government, civil society, and community stakeholders.

Programme Overview

This UN Women initiative aims to address the ongoing crisis of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in South Africa and Lesotho.

It supports integrated approaches that combine:

The programme is particularly focused on high-risk and underserved communities, including urban informal settlements.

Programme Objectives

The initiative is designed to:

  • Strengthen prevention systems for gender-based violence.
  • Improve institutional responses to VAWG and GBVF.
  • Enhance coordination between government and civil society.
  • Promote gender equality and social norm change.
  • Reduce secondary victimisation of survivors.
  • Improve access to justice and support services.
  • Address technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
  • Strengthen referral and response systems.

Key Geographic Focus

South Africa (Priority: Gauteng Province)

Gauteng is a key implementation area due to:

  • High population density
  • Urban inequality
  • Informal settlement vulnerability
  • Elevated rates of gender-based violence

Lesotho

The programme also supports GBV prevention and response systems in Lesotho through coordinated regional efforts.

Key Focus Areas

Institutional Capacity Strengthening

The programme supports improvements in public institutions responsible for GBV response.

Key institutions include:

  • South African Police Service (SAPS)
  • Local government structures
  • Justice and social service systems

Key activities include:

  • Training on survivor-centred approaches
  • Trauma-informed policing practices
  • Strengthening accountability systems
  • Improving coordination mechanisms

Survivor-Centred and Trauma-Informed Response

The programme prioritises ensuring that survivors receive safe, respectful, and effective services.

This includes:

  • Reducing secondary victimisation
  • Improving police response protocols
  • Enhancing referral pathways
  • Strengthening survivor support services

Community-Based Prevention

The initiative focuses on preventing violence by addressing its root causes.

Key strategies include:

  • Community engagement programmes
  • Behaviour change interventions
  • Awareness campaigns
  • Local prevention initiatives

Engaging Men, Boys, and Youth

A core component is transforming harmful masculinities and promoting positive social norms.

Activities include:

  • Youth engagement programmes
  • Men and boys advocacy initiatives
  • Gender equality education
  • Community dialogue sessions

Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV)

The programme addresses emerging forms of violence linked to digital platforms.

Focus areas include:

  • Online harassment and abuse
  • Digital safety awareness
  • Reporting mechanisms for online GBV
  • Awareness campaigns targeting youth

Multi-Sector Partnerships

The programme strengthens collaboration between:

  • Government institutions
  • Civil society organisations
  • Community-based organisations
  • Traditional and faith leaders

Funding Information

Budget Range

  • Minimum: USD 30,000
  • Maximum: USD 50,000
  • Duration: 10 months

Output-Level Budget Ceilings

  • Outcome 3.1 (combined outputs): up to USD 45,000
  • Output 3.2.1: up to USD 50,000
  • Output 3.2.2: up to USD 50,000

Eligible Activities

Funding can support:

Institutional Strengthening

  • Training law enforcement and service providers
  • Capacity building for justice systems
  • Policy implementation support

Community Engagement

  • Social norm change campaigns
  • Community mobilisation programmes
  • Workshops with traditional and faith leaders

Survivor Support Systems

  • Referral system strengthening
  • Case management improvements
  • Support service coordination

Digital and Youth Engagement

  • Awareness campaigns on GBV
  • Online safety education
  • Youth-led prevention initiatives

Expected Outcomes

The programme aims to achieve:

  • Stronger institutional responses to GBV
  • Improved survivor experiences in accessing services
  • Reduced tolerance for violence in communities
  • Better coordination across service providers
  • Increased awareness of GBV prevention mechanisms
  • Reduced impact of technology-facilitated abuse

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants are typically expected to include:

  • Civil society organisations
  • NGOs and community-based organisations
  • Institutions working on gender equality or GBV prevention
  • Organisations with experience in community engagement or institutional reform

Applicants should demonstrate:

  • Experience in GBV prevention or response programming
  • Capacity to engage with government and community stakeholders
  • Ability to implement within 10-month timeframe
  • Understanding of local gender and social dynamics

Implementation Approach

Step 1: Proposal Submission

Applicants submit detailed proposals outlining:

  • Intervention design
  • Target communities
  • Institutional partners
  • Budget breakdown

Step 2: Evaluation Process

Proposals are assessed based on:

  • Relevance to GBV prevention goals
  • Technical capacity
  • Community impact potential
  • Alignment with national GBVF strategies

Step 3: Partnership Engagement

Selected partners collaborate with:

  • Government institutions (including SAPS)
  • Civil society networks
  • Community leadership structures

Step 4: Implementation

Projects are implemented over 10 months with ongoing monitoring.

Step 5: Reporting and Evaluation

Grantees submit:

  • Progress reports
  • Financial reports
  • Final evaluation outcomes

Evaluation Criteria

Applications are assessed based on:

Relevance

  • Alignment with GBVF prevention priorities
  • Fit with national strategic plans

Technical Quality

  • Strength of methodology
  • Feasibility of proposed interventions

Impact Potential

  • Ability to reduce violence and improve response systems
  • Community-level change potential

Partnerships

  • Strength of multi-sector collaboration
  • Engagement with government and civil society

Sustainability

  • Potential for long-term system strengthening
  • Capacity to sustain interventions beyond funding period

Why This Programme Matters

Gender-based violence remains a critical human rights and public health issue in South Africa and Lesotho.

This initiative is important because it:

  • Strengthens weak or overstretched response systems.
  • Addresses harmful social norms that drive violence.
  • Improves survivor access to justice and care.
  • Builds coordination between fragmented service providers.
  • Tackles emerging digital forms of abuse.
  • Supports long-term prevention strategies.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

  • Focusing only on awareness without systems change.
  • Weak engagement with government institutions like SAPS.
  • Ignoring community-level behaviour change components.
  • Underestimating digital or technology-facilitated GBV.
  • Poorly defined referral or survivor support systems.
  • Unrealistic implementation plans for a 10-month timeline.

Tips for a Strong Application

To improve competitiveness:

  • Integrate both prevention and response components.
  • Clearly define institutional partners and roles.
  • Include measurable outcomes for behaviour change.
  • Demonstrate experience in GBV programming.
  • Show strong community engagement strategy.
  • Address both offline and online forms of violence.
  • Align with the National Strategic Plan on GBVF.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the UN Women GBV prevention programme?

It is a funding initiative aimed at strengthening prevention and response systems addressing violence against women and girls in South Africa and Lesotho.

How much funding is available?

Projects can receive between USD 30,000 and USD 50,000 over 10 months.

Who can apply?

Typically NGOs, civil society organisations, and institutions working on gender equality and GBV prevention.

What areas are prioritised?

Institutional strengthening, survivor-centred policing, community prevention, youth engagement, and digital GBV response.

What is the role of SAPS in this programme?

The programme includes capacity building for the South African Police Service to improve survivor-centred and trauma-informed responses.

Is digital violence included?

Yes. The programme addresses technology-facilitated gender-based violence, especially among youth.

What is the main goal of the programme?

To reduce violence against women and girls through coordinated institutional reform and community-based prevention strategies.

Conclusion

The UN Women initiative provides a targeted approach to reducing violence against women and girls in South Africa and Lesotho by combining institutional strengthening with community-driven prevention. Through improved policing, stronger referral systems, youth engagement, and social norm change, the programme aims to create safer communities and more effective support systems for survivors of gender-based violence.

By integrating government action, civil society engagement, and behavioural change strategies, the initiative supports long-term, sustainable reductions in GBVF and promotes gender equality across high-risk communities.

For more information, visit UN Women.