Call for Participation - Capacity Building Programme for Women-Led Organizations

ABOUT ABAAD
ABAAD – Resource Center for Gender Equality is a UN ECOSOC-accredited organization that aims to achieve gender equality as an essential condition for sustainable social and economic development in the MENA region.

About the Programme

Women-Led Organizations (WLOs) and Refugee Women-Led Organizations (RWLOs) play a vital role in advancing gender equality and responding to the needs of women and girls affected by crisis, displacement, and conflict.

To further strengthen the role and impact of women-led actors, ABAAD Resource Center for Gender Equality, in partnership with UNHCR, is launching a capacity building programme aimed at enhancing both the technical and organizational capacities of R/WLOs working with refugees and vulnerable communities.

The programme will offer a structured series of interactive online plenary trainings, designed to support organizations in strengthening their programming, institutional systems, and engagement strategies with partners and donors.

Objectives of the Programme

The programme aims to:

• Strengthen knowledge and skills on gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, mitigation, and response
• Enhance organizational systems, governance, and operational effectiveness
• Support organizations in improving their engagement with donors, partners, and stakeholders
• Increase organizational sustainability, visibility, and strategic positioning

What the Programme Offers

Selected organizations will participate in a series of online plenary training sessions.
Topics may include:

• o Gender-Based Violence (GBV)

• GBV guiding principles
• Survivor-centered approaches
• Inter-Agency Minimum Standards for GBV in Emergencies
• GBV risk mitigation and response programming

• o  Organizational Development

• Governance and leadership
• Strategic planning and results-based management
• Financial management and donor compliance
• Safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)
• Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL)

• Partnerships, Donor Engagement, and Resource Mobilization
  • Proposal development and donor engagement
  • Advocacy and communication strategies
  • Networking and partnership development
  • Resource mobilization and funding diversification
  • Visibility and strategic communications

The participatory programme will include interactive sessions, practical exercises, case studies, and peer learning opportunities to ensure that knowledge is applicable to participants’ organizational contexts.

Programme Modality & Timeline

The programme will be implemented fully online through interactive plenary sessions facilitated by expert trainers.

Eligibility Criteria

Organizations applying to the programme must:

• Be a Women-Led Organization (WLO) operating in a humanitarian context and/or Refugee Women-Led Organization (RWLO)
• Work with refugees, displaced populations, or vulnerable communities
• Demonstrate interest or engagement in gender equality and/or GBV programming
• Show commitment to strengthening their organizational and programmatic capacities
• Be available to participate in online sessions throughout the programme

While applications are open to eligible organizations, priority will be given to organizations operating in Lebanon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda.

Participation Expectations

Selected organizations will be expected to:

• Attend and actively participate in all training sessions
• Have a reliable internet connection
• Engage in discussions and practical exercises
• Apply the knowledge and tools within their organizational work

Ethics and Safeguarding

Participating organizations are expected to uphold key humanitarian principles, including:

• Do No Harm
• Confidentiality and protection of survivors
• Safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)