Dear Friends,

Warm Greetings from the Global Fund for Women.

On behalf of the entire staff and Board of the Global Fund for Women, we are writing to express our solidarity with you during this difficult time as you, your friends, family, and communities face war and military violence in Gaza and Lebanon. Although we are not a relief agency, the Global Fund understands that your organizations are under immediate pressure to respond to crises in your communities. We hope our partnership with groups like yours can contribute to relief efforts that bring a gender and human rights perspective to communities affected by the current crisis.

If your group currently has an open grant from the Global Fund, feel free to use the funds from this grant for whatever activities you believe are most critical at this time of urgent need. For example, you may decide that your current grant would be better used to purchase water, food, clothing, or materials for building shelter or livelihood tools. Your group does not need to seek our approval prior to reallocating funds under emergency circumstances. We simply ask that you notify us when submitting your final report.

Additionally, if you spend your grant before the one-year grant period is over, you may reapply for funding, submitting a renewal proposal with a final report to help us close your previous grant. Please feel free to let us know if there are special initiatives being undertaken to respond to the current crisis for which you need our assistance. We will make every effort to expedite your request.

Through the press, radio, fellow grantees, advisors and our friends and family in Lebanon and Palestine, we are closely watching the violence unfold. We are deeply concerned for your safety and hope for a speedy resolution to the injustice being inflicted on innocent civilians. As you know, our main objective as a women's fund is to strengthen women's organizing efforts and groups around the globe. In this time of uncertainty in your country, we want you to know that we stand by you in your own efforts to continue your courageous work. We very much hope you will feel free to share with us how best the Global Fund can continue to support the efforts of your organization and community.

In solidarity,

Kavita N. Ramdas, President and CEO
Shalini Nataraj, Vice President, Programs and Evaluation
Zeina Zaatari, Program Officer for Middle East/North Africa
Bessma Mourad, Program Associate for Middle East/North Africa