The Women’s Fund focuses on capacity building and support for Afghan organizations engaged in the defence of human rights, with particular attention to women’s rights. The fund seeks to encourage and support family law reform processes in order to ensure that fair attention is given to women within Afghanistan .

The fund helps support innovative and creative initiatives aimed at raising awareness about issues related to women.

Who can apply ?

To qualify, the organization must be based in Afghanistan and conduct its activities within Afghanistan .

Rights & Democracy welcomes applications from the following types of organizations in Afghanistan :

• Women’s rights organizations;
• Organizations that promote or include a gender equity or gender equality focus;
• Human rights organizations that focus on a women’s human rights agenda;
• Newly established organizations, with projects aimed at the advancement of women, in partnership with, or under the umbrella of, established organizations;
• Organizations focussing on women’s advancement ;
• Networks aiming at linking and strengthening women’s partnerships and advocacy initiatives.

What is the application procedure?

Applicants must fill out the form for project proposals and submit the completed application to womenfund@dd-rd.af .

A Proposal Review Committee will review proposals quarterly. The Proposal Review Committee consists of three Rights & Democracy senior staff members and three Afghan external experts who have backgrounds in women’s rights, funds management, and civil society.

• Funds range between $1 000 and $15,000
• A decision is reached within three months following the submission of an application;
• A proposal can be submitted in English or in Dari/ Pashtu when language skills are limited;
• Funds should be spent within six to twelve months after reception of the first instalment;
• Applications can be submitted at any time during the year.

Examples of funded projects:

• Support to women’s organizations, in particular those situated in the provinces of Kandahar , Herat , Balkh , Kunduz, Nangarhar and Kabul ;
• Outreach to rural women and the initiation of partnerships between urban women’s organizations and rural organizations and leaders;
• Legal support (education, law reform initiatives and legal assistance/clinics);
• Institutional capacity-building and results-based project design and structure;
• Women’s rights education projects, including legal education;
• Leadership training and mobilization leading to women and girl’s empowerment;
• Capacity-building and peace building initiatives;
• Women’s participation and mobilization in political processes ( jirgas , democratic elections, judicial reforms);
• Lobbying for gender-mainstreaming in national institutions;
• Vocational training

Proposel Form (Dari&English)
Proposel Form(Pashtu&English)