MADAD For Women

Launched in September 1st, 2018, the Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering – RDFL in partnership with EuroMed Feminist Initiative- EFI, Care International Lebanon and Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) has started implementing 2 years´ multi country project titled “Strengthening access to protection, participation and services for women refugees, Internal Displaced Persons – IDPs and host communities”. This project is funded by the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis, the EU MADAD Fund.

The overall objective is to improve the livelihood, agency and legal and social protection for Syrian women refugees, IDPs as well as for women in the host communities in Lebanon, Iraq/Kurdistan Region – Iraq (KR-I) and in Jordan.

The project activities are carried out by the Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering- RDFL in 4 Lebanese regions: Beirut, Mount Lebanon, North and Bekaa.

The main focus of RDFL’s work is on providing case management, psycho social support services and legal counseling to women survivors of violence and vulnerable women. RDFL also organized within the project awareness-raising sessions on women’s rights and GBV all over Lebanon targeting institutions, schools, universities and communities. In February 2019, RDFL trained 21 Lebanese and Syrian women on GBV concepts where 4 of them were able to conduct sessions themselves and spread awareness in their communities. 1000 women and girls through this project were reached till now and the number is still increasing.

In addition, RDFL works through MADAD For Women on building the capacity of community-based organizations to promote women’s rights and gender equality ​​in their communities where RDFL outreached more than 50 CBOs to encourage them to apply for a call for proposal that was launched in March 2019. 11 out of 30 initiatives were selected by RDFL and EFI to receive a seed fund of 10 000 euros for each project. After that, RDFL conducted a needs assessment for selected CBOs and provided a 3-day training on Gender Equality and Advocacy as the first step toward responding to their needs. Other trainings will follow and another call for proposal will be launched in the upcoming months.

Within MADAD for Women, RDFL will also be launching a national campaign to promote institutional awareness to support amendments to discriminatory laws against women soon, so stay tuned!