Rapid Response Window: Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund Cordaid has over 100 years of experience working in the most fragile countries in the world. We strongly believe that for sustainable solutions, a gender transformative approach is crucial for success. Cordaid has always been on the forefront to tackle gender inequality and fight for women’s rights, even though we might not be the standard women’s rights organization, Cordaid’s interventions have been very successful. As the WPHF secretariat is aware, Cordaid (together with GNWP) was one of the civil society organizations that urged for years for creating this fund, seeing the daily struggles many women’s rights and gender equality organizations face. For many years, through funding from the Dutch government, Cordaid was able to support women’s rights organizations, working as a regranting organization with partners all over the world. The structure of the funding has changed, but Cordaid always remained committed to working in close partnerships with women’s rights organizations in the countries we work in. The relationship shifted from more a donor, recipient role, to close partnerships in which shared strategies were developed. 

This has led to sustainable and long-term support to women in the Afghan peace process, to support to the South Sudan Women’s coalition. In Burundi, Cordaid supported women in exile from Burundi, who are working actively on peace in Burundi. However, due to the sensitivity and the risks the activists face we do not publicly report on this. Cordaid is an INGO with a large reach in over 10 countries, however, we are still small in the sense that we are an agile and horizontal organization that easily links up with country offices and partners. Lines are short and fast. Our long track record on regranting and lobby&advocacy in the most difficult and dynamic contexts, makes us a very suitable implementing partner for the RRW. Furthermore, we have a lot of expertise and experiences on Gender, Peace and Security in terms of programming (both large and smaller programs), lobby&advocacy, strategy building and capacity strengthening. Our Handbook (with an accompanying training) on “Integrating Gender in Peacebuilding and Statebuilding” is a good example of our efforts.
Next to this, Cordaid would be honored to be once again, part of this extremely important initiative. We
have seen from our own experience how important it is to be able to quickly give support to women’s rights organizations in peace processes. Especially with our experience from the current peace process in Afghanistan, local women’s organizations needed the support from Cordaid to set up a long-term program supporting their efforts. Of course, Cordaid is happy to facilitate, but at the end of the day, women’s rights organizations should and need more opportunities. INGOs are there to support. Through the WPHF RRW, Cordaid can do what it does best, support and facilitate women’s rights organizations in their programming, strategy development, lobby&advocacy, M&E and of course capacity strengthening. Using our short lines, our wide and long-term expertise, and our flexibility. Impact:  Increased representation and leadership of women in formal peace processes

Outcome 1: CSOs are supported in an efficient and timely manner to increase women’s participation and influence in peace processes

Outcome 2: Results of and knowledge on effective strategies for women’s participation in peace processes is enhanced and reported on Women's rights organization