CFPs: Syrian Women’s Engagement in Political Process Constituency for Peace Program

Deadline: 30-Sep-2024

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) launched the implementation of the programme “Supporting Syrian Women’s Engagement in the Syrian Political Process: Building a Constituency for Peace”

This Syrian Women’s Participation in the Political Process at all levels is co-funded by the European Union, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Norway and aims to increase Syrian women’s civil society organizations knowledge, financial and technical resources and ability to influence political and decision-making processes.

As a result of the programme, Syrian women’s civil society organizations (CSOs) increased their participation in different dialogue tracks, accessing a safe space to transparently share their challenges, exchange ideas and collaborate across geographical locations and focus areas, and build their individual and organizational capacities. Women’s CSOs, through engagement with the WAB, also strengthened constituency building and fostered linkages between women participating in track I dialogue efforts and grassroots women activists and representatives who participate in track II and III.

Goals

• The programme’s overall goal is to support Syrian women’s participation in peacebuilding and decision-making at all levels, including through
  • the increased participation of the Women’s Advisory Board (WAB) in track I political processes;
  • the active engagement of women community leaders and women-led organizations in track II and track III peacebuilding efforts;
  • research and evidence building on women, peace and security (WPS) in the context of Syria; and
  • inter-agency coordination and policy advice to jointly promote the WPS agenda.

Scope

• UN Women is seeking partners to contribute to the implementation of the following Outcome:
  • Syrian women’s civil society organizations have increased knowledge, financial and technical resources and ability to influence political and decision-making processes.
  • Perspective applicants are requested to submit applications that contribute to the following objectives
    • Support to Syrian women’s civil society organizations working at all levels through consultations and local dialogue on the future of Syria, including on political, peacebuilding, humanitarian, and socio-economic issues.
      • Syrian women and Syrian women led CSOs will lead consultations and mediation dialogues in different Syrian geographies, with a particular focus on hard-to-reach and underrepresented communities. The outcomes of these consultations at the local level will be channeled upward to Syrian women leaders engaged in the formal political process, including members of the WAB. Consultations should also be held on the challenges faced by Syrian feminist civil society.
    • Strengthening of Syrian women’s civil society organizations operating at the local level.
      • Perspective applicants should also ensure the strengthening of the organizational and operational capacities of Syrian grassroots organizations, enabling them to develop their organizational structures, efficiency, reporting, monitoring and evaluation, financial management, advocacy, and gender responsiveness.

Funding Information

• Proposals should be between the budget range of 200,000 – 250,000 USD per proposal.

Timeframe

• UN Women is seeking partners to implement projects of up to 14 months between November 2024 and 31 December 2025

Competencies

• Technical/functional competencies required:
  • Demonstrated focus on women’s rights and gender equality for Syria;
  • Track record on influencing the Syrian political process;
  • Experience in implementing programming that draws on peacebuilding frameworks and conflict sensitive approaches;
  • Experience to work across Syria’s diversity, including women from different political backgrounds, religious beliefs, ages, geographies, abilities etc.;
  • Capacity to deliver expected results (governance and management competency, and financial and administrative competency).

Eligibility Criteria

• In the framework of this call for proposals, UN Women will consider applications submitted by:
  • Individual proponents
  • Two+ organizations submitting a joint technical and financial proposal: The proposals should identify a lead applicant and a co-implementing partner.
  • Both individual proponents’ and joint proposals’ submissions can mention sub-implementing partners (e.g. grassroots organizations, informal networks, specialized agencies) in their project proposal to carry out specific project activities.
  • The geographical focus of the project is the whole of Syria. In conducting the evaluation of the proposals received, UN Women will factor in geographical diversity to ensure the broadest outreach possible.
  • Individual and lead applicants (in the case of joint applications) must be Syrian-led CSOs. Applications from individual proponents or lead applicants being Syrian-led CSOs operating in neighboring countries may also be considered.

For more information, visit UN Women.