Project profile — Strengthening civic engagement and improving resilience of communities impacted by COVID-19

• Cameroon (12.50%)
• Ghana (12.50%)
• India (12.50%)
• South Africa (12.50%)
• Jamaica (12.50%)
• Bangladesh (12.50%)
• Nigeria (12.50%)
• Malawi (12.50%)

• Government And Civil Society, General: Democratic participation and civil society (15150) (100.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (principal objective)

This project aims to enhance National COVID-19 recovery and rebuilding efforts of developing Commonwealth member states, particularly in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Project activities include: (1) launching of a Special Grants Call for Proposals for civil society initiatives by the Commonwealth Foundation; (2) awarding up to £30,000 capacity-building grants for community-based Covid-19 recovery and rebuilding initiatives; (3) building grantees’ capacity to engage with government and its agencies and to integrate gender intersectionality into project design and delivery; and (4) supporting grantee engagement in advocacy platforms and policy-making spaces.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased participation by civil society, including women and human rights organizations, in developing gender-sensitive national policies and practices during and after the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) increased integration of gender equality and diversity considerations in COVID-19 recovery policies and programs by state institutions; and (3) supported the institution of greater protective measures that ensure fundamental freedoms and democratic processes during and after an emergency situation, particularly for marginalized communities.

Results achieved at the end of the project (February 2023) include: (1) awarded 10 capacity-building grants to civil society organizations in Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Malawi, Nigeria, and South Africa; (2) the Commonwealth Foundation organized dedicated sessions for grantees on gender and its intersectionality, supported grantees’ policy and advocacy work, and offered each grantee tailored sessions enabling them to build effective monitoring and evaluation plans; and (3) helped marginalized communities to address barriers to inclusion and better advocate for their rights surrounding Covid-19. For instance, in Bangladesh, the Turning Point Foundation’s project worked to change national Covid-19 policies to better account for people with disabilities. This resulted in the registration of 2,000 people with disabilities, their parents, and caregivers for the Covid-19 vaccine and accessing government support.

• Proactive disclosure