USAID Promote Musharikat Project Monthly Report January 2017

The project aims to promote women's participation in national priority programs and support the development of civil society organizations. In January 2017, the project achieved several milestones, including the completion of regional advocacy campaign planning sessions for the Musharikat Access to Education, Access to Economic Opportunities, and Violence Against Women Coalitions. The project delivered the fifth of six Regional Advocacy Campaign Planning Sessions in Kandahar, where 16 women from the four southern provinces attended and crafted detailed plans for their advocacy work. The session focused on public policy advocacy, networking, and developing key messages for advocacy campaigns. Participants also received instruction on maintaining online security and privacy when using social media and building knowledge and capacity in securing grant funding. In Balkh, the project convened the last in a series of six Regional Advocacy Campaign Planning Sessions, where 45 members of the Musharikat Access to Education, Access to Economic Opportunities, and Violence Against Women Coalitions attended. Participants crafted plans for their advocacy work and received instruction on public policy advocacy, networking, and developing key messages for advocacy campaigns. The project team continued to engage with key stakeholders, including a meeting with the Attorney General, Mohammad Farid Hamidi, to introduce the project and build relationships with civil society organizations, government counterparts, and other potential partners. The project also continued to educate Coalition members through its "Know Your Rights" initiative, an educational initiative that increases awareness of women's rights laws and conventions by leveraging the Musharikat Mobile Platform. The project's technical team delivered a presentation on public policy advocacy, covering the public policy cycle, the importance of networking in policy advocacy, elements of social problems, and the structure of policy documents, including position papers. Participants also received instruction in developing key messages for advocacy campaigns and maintaining online security and privacy when using social media. The project's regional advocacy campaign planning sessions were designed to take the Coalition advocacy frameworks down to the regional and provincial levels. The sessions were conducted in six regions, including Kandahar, Balkh, and other provinces. The project's goal is to support the development of civil society organizations and promote women's participation in national priority programs.