Project profile — Empowering Syrian Women: Leadership and Countering Violent Extremism

• Syria (100.00%)

• Conflict Prevention And Resolution, Peace And Security: Civilian peace-building, conflict prevention and resolution (15220) (100.00%)

• Gender equality (principal objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (significant objective)
• Youth Issues (significant objective)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

This project aims to empower women to participate in governance and contribute to countering violent extremism in Syria. It is designed to strengthen the ability of women’s organizations to serve their communities and promote women’s contributions and leadership abilities. Project activities include: (1) providing women-led organizations with technical and peacebuilding training; and (2) providing small grants for projects that provide services to communities, such as education in small business management, and that contribute to reducing violent extremism.

The expected results for this project include: (1) supporting women-led civil society organizations to provide services to their communities; and (2) promoting women as leaders in political decision making bodies at the local level.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (March 2019) include: (1) 17 out of the 17 surveyed civil society organizations heads reported improved ability to implement projects in their community; (2) 95% (or 20 out of 21 civil society organizations) reported coordination with local councils or other governance bodies; (3) 17 women and men leaders of project civil society organizations were elected/selected as members of their respective local/provincial councils and (4) 31% of direct beneficiaries were elected to governance bodies, or 17 out of 54 participants (of which 28 women).

• Proactive disclosure