The EPISA project titled “Empowering Survived Women from Violence and Detention, and Women Leaders in Social and Political Participation, with the Support of Women’s Centers and Networks, and Integrating them with Civil Society to be in Decision-Making Positions Locally and Internationally in Northwestern Syria” funded by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) and it run under our program of Active Women for Development AWFD program.
Introduction:
This project aims to empower women organizations in northwestern Syria, focusing on advancing their initiatives following the devastating earthquake that resulted in reduced women activities due to the focus of larger NGOs on aid and infrastructure building in regime areas. Consequently, EPISA took the lead in activating 20 women organizations.
Overall Objective:
To activate feminist initiatives and civil networks supporting women's effective participation socially and politically in northwestern Syria, enabling them to participate in decision-making at the local level and send advocacy messages to international decision-makers.
Specific Objectives:
- Enhance the skills of women working in feminist initiatives and women’s empowerment networks in areas such as democratic dialogues, conflict resolution, and community participation.
- Foster a collaborative environment among feminist movements, connecting them nationally and internationally.
- Advocate for increased participation of Syrian women at political and societal levels through women's centers.
Estimated Outputs:
- Empowerment of 150 girls and women to participate effectively in local and international decision-making.
- Formation of 20 women’s centers, initiatives, and networks in northwestern Syria.
- Positive response from over 3 international organizations to advocacy messages.
- Participation of at least 5 women in international women’s conferences, inspiring others to engage actively in society.
The project comprises six activities:
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Launching the Project and Holding Three Information Sessions:
These sessions were conducted in Idlib, Maarat Masrin, and Kafr Takharim, with the participation of 27 women's teams and organizations. -
Assessment of the Needs of 20 Women's Teams:
EPISA conducted assessments in Kafr Takharim, Idlib, and Maarat Masrin to identify the needs of 20 women's teams. -
Capacity-Building Workshops:
EPISA provided capacity-building workshops on strategic planning, leadership skills, communication, dialogue management, and advocacy preparation for the 20 women's teams. These workshops aimed to empower the teams to improve their performance, enhance community engagement, build relationships, and foster collaboration. -
Advocacy Paper Preparation:
Four issues were selected by representatives of women's teams concerning Syrian women. EPISA assisted in preparing advocacy papers on these issues. -
Sub-Granting:
Sub-grants were provided to activate the roles of women's teams. Three initiatives from six women's teams were selected for sub-granting. These teams collaborated within joint workshops to advocate for each other, forming the nucleus of a women's development network that supports and empowers women. -
Forum Implementation:
Five forums were held in Idlib, Maarat Masrin, and Kafr Takharim, with the main concluding forum taking place in Idlib on February 28, 2024. The forum involved 41 representatives from local organizations and women's volunteer teams in northwestern Syria. Activities included introductions, presentations on EPISA and the project, pitches for the three initiatives that received the grant, discussions on challenges, lessons learned, success stories, recommendations, and mechanisms to enhance women's advocacy.
The forum activities included:
Opening and welcoming remarks to participants.
Introduction to EPISA organization.
Presentation on the Empowering and Resilience Enhancement of Women's Centers project.
Presentations and promotions of the three initiatives that received the grant.
Discussions on challenges, lessons learned, and success stories of the initiatives.
Recommendations and strategies to enhance advocacy for women's issues.