“For me, I am now able to involve myself in any place or institution in the way I want.” That’s what one female activist from the West Bank says is the biggest change for her after participating in CARE’s PEACE II Project. Another says, “These initiatives enhance, empower, and support you.”
In a world where only 24% of parliamentarians are women, and where only 9% of people who participated in peace processes are women, this change in women’s ability to participate is striking.
My Right to My Future, Women’s Participation in Peace Building and Conflict Resolution (PEACE II) ran from 2015-2017 in Palestine with $672,993 from the EU and Austrian Agency for Development. It worked with 4,300 people directly.
What did we accomplish?
- Women are participating more: Women’s political participation went up 66%.
- Political parties include more women: There was a 31% increase in women’s representation in political parties.
- Women get more support from the party: 50% more women say they are getting support from their party’s base and leadership.
How did we get there?
- Work with young people: The project trained 220 youth activists on women’s political participation, and those activists hosted trainings for others.
- Get the media involved: The project convened 8 media groups to have a collective strategy to raise the profile of women in politics and to publish more content on women’s political participation. This strategy was most successful when youth activists from political groups connected to the media outlets, and media were involved from the beginning of the project.
- Focus on practical skills: The project helped 20 youth activists to internships where they could gain practical skills. It also worked with students studying media to publish more on women’s political participation.
- Get political parties to commit to supporting women: 12 political parties signed the “Charter of Honor for Women Political Participation, which aims to improve women’s ability to participate in political decision making and increase women in elected office.
Want to learn more?
Check out the final evaluation or the case study.
https://womendeliver.org/investment/strengthen-womens-political-participation-decision-making-power/