Women’s Voice and Leadership - Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Senegal

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic the project supports Senegalese women’s rights organizations to allow them to better respond to the needs of women and girls including those most marginalized who are at risk of being disproportionally impacted by this crisis from a health social and economic perspective. Project activities include: (1) conducting an impact and follow-up study on the risk reduction measures of COVID-19 on gender-based violence and the agency of women and girls; (2) providing prevention and psychosocial care for victims of gender-based violence and for women healthcare workers during the crisis; (3) conducting a media campaign on the unequal impacts of COVID-19 on women and girls; (4) raising awareness campaign on hygiene and the specific needs of women and girls and distribution of hygiene kits responding to their needs; and (5) providing financial support to women's economic associations that are the most vulnerable to the crisis. This project is part of Canada’s Women’s Voice and Leadership Program which supports local and regional women’s organizations and networks that are working to promote women’s rights and advance women’s empowerment and gender equality in developing countries. This is done by supporting their activities building their institutional capacity and promoting network and alliance-building as women’s rights and feminist organizations are critical agents of change. The Program also responds to the significant globally recognized gap in funding and support to women’s rights organizations and movements around the world. This project is implemented by the Centre d’étude et de coopération internationale (CECI). It directly supports 20 women's rights organizations at the local level and 5 networks representing more than 20 organizations each. In addition the project enables women's organisations to adopt innovative management practices that contribute to the sustainability of their programmes ensure better qualit

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved delivery of quality services by women's organizations through innovative approaches to advance gender equality in Senegal; and (2) increased effectiveness of advocacy platforms networks and alliances for the defense and promotion of women's rights in order to better influence and participate in the development modification and implementation of gender-specific laws and policies in Senegal.