Call for Proposals: Eliminate Violence against Women and Girls in Kyrgyz Republic

UN Women is inviting women-led civil society organizations and youth organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic to implement community-based interventions under the Zero Violence Against Women and Girls (Zero VAWG) Initiative. The program provides funding ranging from USD 480,000 to USD 685,000 to strengthen violence prevention, gender equality, institutional capacity, and community-led responses to violence against women and girls.

Program Overview

The Zero Violence Against Women and Girls (Zero VAWG) Initiative supports comprehensive, community-based approaches to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls in the Kyrgyz Republic. The initiative seeks to strengthen the leadership and institutional capacity of women-led organizations and youth organizations while promoting sustainable partnerships that improve protection systems and community engagement.

The program adopts a survivor-centered, human rights-based approach that encourages collaboration among civil society, local governments, educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, media, service providers, and community leaders to create lasting social change.

Program Objectives

The initiative aims to:

• Prevent violence against women and girls.
• Strengthen women-led civil society organizations.
• Empower youth organizations.
• Develop the “Zero VAWG Community” model.
• Promote gender equality and positive social norms.
• Prevent harmful practices such as child marriage and bride abduction.
• Strengthen institutional coordination and local governance.
• Support survivor-centered services.
• Increase community participation in violence prevention.
• Promote digital advocacy and public awareness.
• Document and replicate successful community approaches.

Priority Focus Areas

Funding supports activities related to:

• Violence against women and girls prevention
• Gender equality promotion
• Community mobilization
• Institutional capacity building
• Leadership development
• Youth engagement
• Community awareness campaigns
• Digital communication and advocacy
• Knowledge management
• Partnership development
• Community governance
• Prevention of child marriage
• Prevention of abduction for forced marriage
• Behavioral and social norms change
• Survivor-centered interventions
• Human rights protection

Funding Information

The program offers funding under two separate lots:

• Lot I: USD 480,000–USD 515,000
• Lot II: USD 650,000–USD 685,000

Application Deadline: 26 July 2026

Eligible Activities

Funding may support:

• Institutional strengthening of women-led organizations
• Leadership development programs
• Mentoring and coaching
• Capacity-building workshops
• Community mobilization initiatives
• Project management support
• Partnership-building activities
• Community awareness campaigns
• Dialogue platforms
• Gender equality education
• Violence prevention campaigns
• Digital communication campaigns
• Social media outreach
• Storytelling initiatives
• Knowledge products
• Digital toolkits
• Documentation of lessons learned
• Community governance initiatives
• Multi-stakeholder coordination
• Advocacy activities
• Monitoring and knowledge sharing

Who is Eligible?

Eligible applicants include:

• Women-led civil society organizations
• Women-led nonprofit organizations
• Youth organizations
• Grassroots organizations working on gender equality
• Organizations operating within the Kyrgyz Republic

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Experience implementing community-based interventions.
• Capacity to manage large-scale projects.
• Experience in gender equality or violence prevention.
• Ability to coordinate with multiple stakeholders.
• Strong institutional and technical capacity.

Project Expectations

Applicants are expected to:

• Develop an integrated implementation methodology.
• Address all project outputs together rather than separately.
• Strengthen organizational leadership and institutional capacity.
• Build sustainable partnerships.
• Promote inclusive community ownership.
• Engage marginalized women and girls.
• Involve men, boys, community leaders, and local institutions.
• Ensure all interventions follow survivor-centered and human rights-based principles.

Zero VAWG Community Model

A key component of the initiative is the development and implementation of the Zero VAWG Community model.

Activities include:

• Establishing coordinated community prevention systems.
• Strengthening local governance mechanisms.
• Supporting collaboration among stakeholders.
• Improving referral systems.
• Encouraging institutional responses.
• Documenting scalable practices.
• Promoting long-term sustainability.

Digital Communication and Knowledge Sharing

Selected organizations will also:

• Develop digital awareness campaigns.
• Produce communication materials.
• Create social media campaigns.
• Publish knowledge products.
• Develop digital toolkits.
• Share best practices.
• Document successful community interventions.
• Strengthen organizational communication capacity.

How to Apply

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

Ensure your organization:

• Is women-led or a qualified youth organization.
• Operates within the Kyrgyz Republic.
• Has relevant experience in violence prevention or gender equality.

Step 2: Develop an Integrated Proposal

Prepare a proposal that demonstrates:

• Community needs
• Project objectives
• Integrated implementation approach
• Partnership strategy
• Sustainability plan
• Monitoring framework
• Expected outcomes

Step 3: Build Partnerships

Identify key collaborators such as:

• Local authorities
• Educational institutions
• Law enforcement agencies
• Community leaders
• Service providers
• Organizations representing persons with disabilities
• Civil society organizations

Step 4: Prepare the Budget

Develop a detailed budget within the applicable funding range for either Lot I or Lot II.

Step 5: Submit the Application

Complete and submit all required application documents before 26 July 2026.

Why This Initiative Matters

Violence against women and girls continues to undermine human rights, gender equality, and sustainable development. This initiative supports long-term community transformation by strengthening institutions, empowering local organizations, promoting positive social norms, and improving coordinated responses to gender-based violence.

The program contributes to:

• Stronger protection systems
• Increased gender equality
• Community resilience
• Sustainable violence prevention
• Youth leadership
• Institutional collaboration
• Human rights protection
• Social inclusion
• Community ownership of solutions

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Addressing project outputs separately rather than through an integrated approach.
• Weak partnership strategies.
• Limited community participation.
• Insufficient sustainability planning.
• Failure to include marginalized women and girls.
• Inadequate monitoring and evaluation plans.
• Weak digital communication strategies.
• Budgets that do not align with proposed activities.

Tips for a Strong Application

• Demonstrate extensive community experience.
• Present a clear integrated methodology.
• Include measurable outcomes and indicators.
• Build strong multi-sector partnerships.
• Emphasize survivor-centered programming.
• Include innovative behavioral change approaches.
• Demonstrate sustainability beyond the funding period.
• Show how successful practices can be replicated.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Zero Violence Against Women and Girls (Zero VAWG) Initiative?

It is a UN Women initiative supporting community-based interventions that prevent and respond to violence against women and girls while strengthening women-led organizations and youth organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic.

How much funding is available?

Funding ranges from USD 480,000–USD 515,000 under Lot I and USD 650,000–USD 685,000 under Lot II.

Who can apply?

Eligible applicants include women-led civil society organizations, youth organizations, grassroots organizations, and other qualified organizations operating in the Kyrgyz Republic.

What is the Zero VAWG Community model?

It is a community-based approach that strengthens local violence prevention systems through collaboration among communities, service providers, government institutions, and civil society organizations.

What activities are supported?

The initiative supports capacity building, leadership development, community mobilization, awareness campaigns, digital advocacy, partnership development, knowledge sharing, prevention of harmful practices, and survivor-centered interventions.

When is the application deadline?

Applications must be submitted by 26 July 2026.

Why is digital communication included?

Digital campaigns, storytelling, knowledge products, and social media activities help promote positive social norms, increase public awareness, document successful practices, and encourage wider adoption of effective violence prevention approaches.

Conclusion

The UN Women Zero Violence Against Women and Girls (Zero VAWG) Initiative provides significant funding for women-led civil society organizations and youth organizations committed to ending violence against women and girls in the Kyrgyz Republic. By investing in community leadership, institutional capacity, digital advocacy, and coordinated violence prevention systems, the initiative supports sustainable, survivor-centered solutions that strengthen gender equality, protect human rights, and create lasting social change.