by Ziba Kashef

For the first time in our history, the Global Fund for Women has applied for and received a generous grant from a government.

Our board of directors made the decision to apply for money from the Dutch government after careful analysis of the principles and philosophy underlying the creation of the MDG3 Fund: Investing in Equality. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs partnered with Dutch non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and companies to establish the fund, which is named for the UN’s third Millennium Development Goal of empowering women. It was created in part as a response to the landmark Association of Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) study, Where is the Money for Women’s Rights, which pointed out a substantial shortfall in funds for global women’s rights organizations.

Our research convinced us that accepting these funds would not compromise our freedom to continue providing flexible general operating support to courageous women-led human rights and community development initiatives.

More than 450 project proposals representing 81 countries competed for the record 70 million euros (approximately $91 million) allocated by the Dutch government. Only 10 percent of applicants were selected and the Global Fund, along with many of our past and present grantees, was among them.

The 2 million euros (~$2.6 million) awarded to the Global Fund will support The Breakthrough Project: Catalyzing Global Activism on MDG3, a three-year initiative designed to support the work of grassroots, women-led civil society organizations in Asia. The project will aid those groups focused on promoting women’s political participation, securing women’s economic rights and ending violence against women and girls.

A number of other recipients are also recent Global Fund for Women grantee partners. The Global Fund is proud to have worked together with many colleagues and peers in women’s movements globally who have succeeded in influencing such an important source of funding for women’s rights organizations worldwide.