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August 6, 2024:  PTF’s supported project – Building a Coordinated Response to Prevent and Reduce Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Kishangarh Block, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India  – has been completed with notable successes providing a model for future approaches. The project, approved in 2018, implemented in two phases, and completed in 2023 (after a Covid-related hiatus), was co-financed by the India Development and Relief Fund (IDRF) and implemented by the Centre for Advocacy and Research (CfAR), an Indian NGO. PTF applied its traditional approach: diagnosis, a local partner, advocacy, awareness-raising, and constructive engagement with local government. The project was a pilot covering 10 (out of 33) Gram Panchayats (village councils) in Kishangarh Block. In sum, successes achieved in the project included: over 90% of the women are now aware of their legal rights and better understand the services available to them. the Women’s Forum leads discussions among women in the community and has secured better infrastructure (48 new street lights and security cameras in market places) and pledges from transport companies to improve security in their vehicles. Gram Sakhis, now recognized by local authorities as ‘Suraksha (security) Buddies’, walk confidently into government offices, accompanying the women and girls who need assistance. the local government in the project area has begun to allocate budget for CCTVs, better lighting and better policing in public spaces. helplines for GBV victims have been set up and a mobile-phone safety App called SpeakUp provides immediate access to the police, the Women’s Forum and/or the family, as also to the redressal mechanisms that have been created. as an unintended bonus, there is greater readiness among the women to access non-GBV-related public services, such as livelihood and microcredit programs. Although the project was located in a small area in Rajasthan, it attracted wider attention in July 2023 when the Hindustan Times, a leading national newspaper, carried an article highlighting its success. It noted that: “Change can be effected when women come together to put up a joint front.” Building on success Building on the achievements of the first two phases, PTF and IDRF are now supporting CfAR’s efforts for a third phase: “Institutionalizing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention and Reduction – Programmatic intervention at the sub-national level within the jurisdiction of Panchayats Samiti, Kishangarh Block, Ajmer District, Rajasthan”. The project will (i) ensure sustainability of the project facilities, (ii) extend them to the other 23 Gram Panchayats of Kishangarh Block, and (iii) improve women’s access to livelihoods. CfAR will also promote this project framework as a model for other parts of Rajasthan. They are examining the safety and security of women in workplaces, such as local factories and sites associated with Government supported rural employment programs. Project Background In Phase I, a baseline study found that (i) the high-school dropout rate for girls was three times higher than that for boys, (ii) child marriages were common, and (iii) these two phenomena were related (since it was unsafe to send girls to school, parents married them off early). The study also revealed that, though the Government had rolled out comprehensive programs for GBV victims and women’s safety, the (traditionally patriarchal) local […]

Also – an article by Frank Vogl, published September 24, 2024, by the Bretton Woods Committee – Can the World Bank Implement Its Vital New Gender Strategy? (https://www.brettonwoods.org/article/can-the-world-bank-implement-its-vital-new-gender-strategy)

Partnership for Transparency submitted comments on the World Bank Group’s Gender Strategy 2024 – 2030: Accelerate Gender Equality for a Sustainable, Resilient, and Inclusive Future, which are available here.

Civil society anti-corruption leaders from more than 50 countries signed a letter to the World Bank in support of its ambitious Gender Strategy 2024 – 2030: Accelerate Gender Equality for a Sustainable, Resilient, and Inclusive Future. However, they warned that the goals will be unattainable without significant emphasis on anti-corruption. The World Bank’s draft gender strategy makes no mention of corruption. The civil society leaders and anti-corruption experts who signed the letter recognize that gender-based violence yields horrendous, long-term trauma for its victims and is a crucial impediment to gender equality in all areas of economic and human development. Therefore, the roles that corruption plays in this area must not be overlooked. That is why, for example, so many of the organizations whose leaders have signed the letter are implementing important anti-sextortion projects. The more than 90 individuals who are signatories include members of the Board of Directors and the Management Team of Partnership for Transparency (PTF), the leaders of PTF’s Asia and Europe affiliates, the Board leadership of Transparency International (TI), and the Executive Directors of more than 40 TI national chapters. In addition, the list of those signing the letter include anti-corruption scholars, as well as founders of such organizations as Accountability Lab; Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy, and Ethics in Nigeria; and Global Financial Integrity. The letter calls on the World Bank to deepen its partnerships with civil society activists and provide them with greater direct support, noting that their engagement is vital to secure and sustain gender rights. Further, the letter calls for the World Bank to give greater prominence in the strategy to the issue of countering gender-based violence.

The 18-month project titled Building a Coordinated Response to Prevent and Reduce Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Kishangarh Block, Ajmer, Rajasthan India, conceived and funded by PTF and IDRF, will implemented by the Centre for Advocacy and Research, India (CFAR) and aims to shape a systemic and grassroots response and solution to the issue of GBV. The overall project goal is to strengthen the readiness and capacity of the administrative and legal system and the community to develop the mechanisms including standard operating procedures and grassroots structures to address GBV in a timely and decisive way. The project aims to reach out to all women, girls, and groups affected by GBV in 33 Gram Panchayats (GPs) or Village Council of Kishangarh Block, a total population of 68,397. The project will spread awareness on law/legal recourse as well as about all the services available to those both vulnerable to and affected by GBV. Simultaneously, CFAR will identify potential change agents and leaders within the community, enable them to form Gender Forums led by women, and then support them in collectively reaching out to and engaging key stakeholders in shaping an enabling environment and key processes to both prevent and reduce GBV. These processes of both self-organizing and working with the governmental system will enable Gender Forums to collaborate with multiple levels of local service providers, duty-bearers, and decision-makers to ensure that the justice system not only becomes gender sensitive but also responsive and willing to use administrative and legal address systems. This will help to take on or neutralize local power structures set up by dominant groups and self-anointed leaders. “By facilitating the empowered grassroots groups to work with both systemic and societal stakeholders, we will ensure that the eradication of GBV becomes everyone’s business and is no more siloed into a personal or woman-alone problem,” said Akhila Sivadas, Executive Director, CFAR. To follow along with project developments join the conversation on social media: On Twitter: @PTFund / @CFAR

Gender based violence (GBV) flourishes in many parts of the world despite a wide variety of public and non-governmental efforts to combat it. One innovative solution PTF is exploring in India with the Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) is the promotion of greater citizen uptake of GBV prevention and response services through greater awareness raising, social accountability activities and constructive engagement exercises. PTF and the Indian Development and Relief Fund (IDRF) are supporting CFAR for a two-year project to reduce GBV, specifically domestic violence, sexual harassment and sexual assault against women and girls, in 10 gram panchayats of the Kishangarh block of district Ajmer in Rajasthan, India. Rajasthan has for long been acknowledged to be a state where women’s low status is a cause for concern. GBV is deeply rooted and embedded in the patriarchal traditions. Gender is a structural determinant that influences and in many ways thwarts even the simplest intervention like nutrition and access to healthcare and education. Deeply engrained, adverse and harmful social norms determine what a woman and girl can or should do. Traditional authorities inhibit and deter mandated safeguards for the rights and entitlements of women, girls and marginalized groups. The project’s leading Theory of Change asserts that GBV will reduce if the rule-of-law is affirmed and upheld from the level of prevention to final dispensation of justice. This shift to right-based approach will be influenced by:1) effective citizen demand for and participation in ensuring safe environment; 2) sufficient duty bearer capacity and sensitivity to uphold the role of law and provide effective prevention and response services; and 3) effective convergence and better coordination among stakeholders to translate community voice to effective action.

In 2016, the Barry Metzger Rule of Law Initiative, the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) in the Balkans and the Hogan Lovells law firm partnered to develop a training project for licensed advocates and civil society organization representatives to increase the capacity of advocates to represent clients in cases involving gender-based violence and discrimination, in four countries of the Balkans region: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Macedonia, and Serbia. The U.S. State Department has identified violence against women as a major human rights problem in each of the four countries. The project successfully trained over 60 licensed advocates and civil society representatives, divided among the four countries. The project consisted of the following four stages: The development of a working group within each of the four national bars and civil society organizations that focus on gender issues competent to represent victims in gender-based violence; Creation of a training program for advocates and CSO representatives that will enhance the capacity of advocates to represent the victims of gender-based violence; Collaboration among the Hogan Lovells law firm and the regional advocates and CSO representatives to support litigation and legislative reform to address gender-based violence; and Hogan Lovells provided guidance to the licensed advocates and CSO representatives in the region to support litigation and to identify gaps in local legislation and areas of legislative reform that are needed to address gender-based violence The Metzger Rule of Law Initiative brought the Partnership for Transparency Fund’s experience working successfully with civil society organizations to the gender-based training project. Experts from local civil society with gender-based experience were recruited to participate in the project. The Hogan Lovells firm made a generous commitment to provide pro bono support to develop the training, travel to the region and participate in conducting the two-day training sessions. The lawyers presented lectures on the firm’s experience providing pro bono representation of victims of gender-based violence, lectures on international tools available to enable victims to get relief, after exhausting their domestic remedies, such as the provisions of the Istanbul Convention, and participation in roundtable discussions on problems that arise in attempting to help victims of gender-based violence and gender-based discrimination. Hogan Lovells also agreed to participate in appropriate follow-on activities to support efforts for legislative change and advocate for other reform initiatives in the region. DOWNLOAD PROJECT REPORT OTHER METZGER RULE OF LAW INITIATIVE PROJECTS Review23 – Regional Rule of Law Network in the Western Balkans Regional Trial Monitoring Program in Eastern Europe

The objective of this sub-project was to reduce incidence of Gender-Based Violence in the Province of Agusan del Norte by strengthening capacities of “duty bearers” and empowering women and children “rights holders”. A community-based support system was created through this sub-project and extensive training activities were imparted at both government administrative and citizen level to gain knowledge and skills concerning gender sensitivity, leadership, advocacy, planning, budgeting and monitoring and human rights laws …

Through a small grant from the USAID/Food for Peace-funded Technical and Operational Performance Support (TOPS) Program, Land O’Lakes’ International Development collaborated with Cultural Practice, Development and Training Services, Inc. (dTS), Partnership for Transparency Fund (PTF), Project …

Featured Publications Publications The Role of CSOs to Ensure Integrity in Climate Finance and Action This paper for the Second Symposium on Supranational Responses to Corruption explores how partnerships with local CSOs could help advance integrity on climate finance and action. Partnering with Civil Society for Citizen-Driven Country Engagement, Delivery, and Accountability in IDA- and IBRD-Financed Operations Report This report makes ten recommendations on how partnerships with citizens and civil society organizations can be deepened in IDA and IBRD engagement, financing, and accountability activities at the country level. PTF Tools and Approaches Report - 2001 to 2022 This report is a reference document containing the tools and approaches that have been used by PTF, the Asia and Europe affiliates, and the Africa Committee over the last two decades in a multitude of countries. Civil Society Monitoring in the Health Sector Hundreds of millions of people have to pay bribes when using public services. This situation has not improved for more than a decade. There is a strong case for rethinking the current anti-corruption approaches in which funding for anti-corruption and good governance programs is overwhelmingly allocated to government efforts (supply side) with relatively little given to non-state actors (demand side). Increasingly evidence has shown that civil society can make a meaningful difference in the furtherance of anti-corruption aims. Citizens Against Corruption: Report from the Frontline Over the last dozen years PTF has supported with money and expert advice more than 250 projects across the developing world to reduce corruption. Now, in a brand new book, Landell-Mills reviews the record: he highlights the civil society organizations that are making a real difference to secure basic human and civil rights for tens of thousands of poor people; he describes fascinating projects in Asia, Africa, Latin America and in Central & eastern Europe; and, he brings to the fore the key lessons that all engaged in the fight against corruption need to use to advance their work. CSO Engagement to Deliver the Agenda 2030 Anti-Corruption Targets: The Case for a Supranational Initiative Hundreds of millions of people have to pay bribes when using public services. This situation has not improved for more than a decade. There is a strong case for rethinking the current anti-corruption approaches in which funding for anti-corruption and good governance programs is overwhelmingly allocated to government efforts (supply side) with relatively little given to non-state actors (demand side). Increasingly evidence has grown that civil society can make a meaningful difference in the furtherance of anti-corruption aims. Guide for Monitoring Public Procurement: A Tool for Civil Society By overseeing the manner in which public money is used, civil society can significantly contribute to strengthening governance and building bridges between society and public authorities at all levels. International experience has shown that CSOs can play an active and important role in the direct monitoring of public procurement, thus contributing to increased transparency at all stages of the procurement cycle. They can demand accountability when public contracting authorities fail to observe the principles of transparency, integrity, and efficiency in the procurement process or are part of corrupt schemes by referring cases of [...]