Call for Proposals: Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (Lebanon)

UN Women Lebanon is inviting civil society organizations (CSOs), women’s rights organizations (WROs), and other eligible entities to submit proposals that strengthen the prevention of violence against women and girls (VAWG) and improve women’s access to justice in Lebanon. Organizations may apply under Lot 1 (USD 150,000–250,000) for survivor-centred services or Lot 2 (USD 50,000–80,000) for dialogue and legal reform related to Lebanon’s Personal Status Laws.

About the UN Women Lebanon Call for Proposals

UN Women Lebanon has launched a Call for Proposals to support initiatives that prevent and respond to violence against women and girls (VAWG) while improving access to justice and protection services across Lebanon.

The programme seeks to strengthen survivor-centred support systems, promote gender equality, and advance legal and institutional reforms that improve the rights, protection, and wellbeing of women and girls.

Projects should deliver sustainable, evidence-based solutions that improve access to services, strengthen community protection mechanisms, and support policy and legal reform.

Funding Overview

The funding opportunity is divided into two separate funding lots.

Lot 1: Survivor-Centred Services

Funding Amount

• USD 150,000–250,000

Project Duration

• 24 months

This lot supports projects that expand access to comprehensive services for women and girls experiencing or at risk of violence.

Lot 2: Personal Status Law Reform

Funding Amount

• USD 50,000–80,000

Project Duration

• 18 months

This lot supports dialogue, consultation, and legal guidance processes that promote gender-equitable reform of Lebanon’s Personal Status Laws.

Organizations may apply for Lot 1, Lot 2, or both, provided that separate technical and financial proposals are submitted for each lot.

Programme Objectives

The programme aims to:

• Prevent violence against women and girls.
• Improve survivor-centred support services.
• Increase women’s access to justice.
• Strengthen legal aid and protection systems.
• Promote gender equality.
• Support reform of Personal Status Laws.
• Enhance community-based protection mechanisms.
• Strengthen institutional responses to gender-based violence.
• Improve long-term sustainability of support services.

Focus Areas

Supported projects may address:

• Violence against women and girls (VAWG).
• Survivor-centred service delivery.
• Women’s access to justice.
• Legal assistance.
• Psychosocial support.
• Safe shelters.
• Case management.
• Community protection mechanisms.
• Gender equality.
• Personal Status Law reform.
• Policy dialogue.
• Legal reform.
• Community outreach.
• Evidence-based advocacy.

Lot 1: Comprehensive Survivor-Centred Services

Lot 1 supports projects that improve the availability, accessibility, quality, and sustainability of services for women and girls experiencing or at risk of violence.

Eligible activities include:

• Safe shelters.
• Emergency accommodation.
• Psychosocial counselling.
• Mental health support.
• Legal information.
• Legal aid services.
• Court accompaniment.
• Case management.
• Safety planning.
• Referrals to health services.
• Referrals to social protection services.
• Community outreach.
• Community-based identification of survivors.
• Referral mechanisms.
• Protection services.

Priority will be given to organizations working in underserved geographic areas where specialized services remain limited.

Lot 2: Gender-Equitable Reform of Personal Status Laws

Lot 2 supports initiatives that encourage inclusive dialogue and legal reform relating to Lebanon’s Personal Status Laws.

Supported activities include:

• Stakeholder consultations.
• Multi-sector dialogue.
• Legal guidance processes.
• Policy discussions.
• Thematic workshops.
• Knowledge-sharing activities.
• Development of legal guidance materials.
• Evidence-based policy recommendations.

Projects should bring together:

• Religious leaders.
• Legal professionals.
• Civil society organizations.
• Women’s rights organizations.
• Academic institutions.
• Policymakers.

The objective is to explore practical pathways toward gender-equitable legal reform.

Who Is Eligible?

Eligible applicants include:

• Civil society organizations (CSOs).
• Women’s rights organizations (WROs).
• Other qualified organizations eligible under the call.

Applicants should have relevant experience implementing programmes related to gender equality, violence prevention, legal services, or women’s rights.

Expected Project Outcomes

Successful projects should contribute to:

• Greater access to survivor-centred services.
• Improved legal protection for women.
• Stronger referral systems.
• Better psychosocial support.
• Increased access to justice.
• Enhanced institutional capacity.
• More effective community protection mechanisms.
• Evidence-based legal reform discussions.
• Sustainable improvements in women’s rights.

Why This Funding Matters

Violence against women and girls remains a significant human rights and public health challenge.

This funding programme supports initiatives that:

• Protect survivors.
• Improve access to justice.
• Strengthen legal systems.
• Expand essential support services.
• Promote gender equality.
• Encourage policy reform.
• Build safer communities.
• Improve long-term protection mechanisms.

By investing in both direct services and legal reform, UN Women aims to strengthen Lebanon’s overall response to gender-based violence.

How to Apply

Applicants should follow these general steps:

1. Review the objectives and eligibility requirements for the funding call.
2. Decide whether to apply for Lot 1, Lot 2, or both.
3. Develop a project aligned with the objectives of the selected lot.
4. Prepare a detailed technical proposal.
5. Prepare a detailed financial proposal.
6. If applying for both lots, prepare separate technical and financial proposals for each.
7. Include measurable objectives, realistic methodologies, and sustainability plans.
8. Submit the completed proposal according to the UN Women Lebanon application guidelines.

Tips for a Strong Proposal

To strengthen your application:

• Clearly identify the needs of the target population.
• Demonstrate experience in gender equality programming.
• Present measurable project outcomes.
• Include realistic timelines and budgets.
• Explain sustainability beyond the funding period.
• Demonstrate strong partnerships where appropriate.
• Use evidence-based methodologies.
• Show how the project improves access to justice or survivor support.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common proposal errors:

• Submitting only one proposal when applying for both lots.
• Providing unclear project objectives.
• Omitting measurable indicators.
• Presenting unrealistic budgets.
• Failing to explain sustainability.
• Ignoring underserved geographic areas for Lot 1.
• Providing weak stakeholder engagement plans for Lot 2.
• Submitting incomplete technical or financial documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the UN Women Lebanon Call for Proposals?

It is a funding opportunity supporting projects that prevent violence against women and girls, strengthen survivor-centred services, improve women’s access to justice, and promote gender-equitable legal reform in Lebanon.

2. How much funding is available?

• Lot 1: USD 150,000–250,000 for projects lasting 24 months.
• Lot 2: USD 50,000–80,000 for projects lasting 18 months.

3. Who can apply?

Eligible applicants include civil society organizations, women’s rights organizations, and other qualified entities capable of implementing the proposed activities.

4. Can an organization apply for both funding lots?

Yes. Organizations may apply for both lots but must submit separate technical and financial proposals for each.

5. What activities are supported under Lot 1?

Lot 1 supports shelters, psychosocial counselling, legal aid, case management, referrals, community outreach, safety planning, emergency accommodation, and other survivor-centred services.

6. What activities are supported under Lot 2?

Lot 2 supports dialogue, legal consultations, policy discussions, stakeholder engagement, thematic workshops, knowledge-sharing, and the development of legal guidance materials to advance gender-equitable reform of Lebanon’s Personal Status Laws.

7. What makes a competitive proposal?

Strong proposals demonstrate clear objectives, evidence-based methodologies, measurable outcomes, sustainability planning, realistic budgets, strong organizational capacity, and alignment with UN Women’s priorities on gender equality and violence prevention.

Conclusion

The UN Women Lebanon Call for Proposals offers significant funding to organizations working to prevent violence against women and girls while strengthening survivor-centred services and advancing access to justice in Lebanon. Through support for both frontline service delivery and gender-equitable legal reform, the programme seeks to improve protection systems, empower women and girls, and contribute to lasting institutional and community-level change.