FUND SET TO RESPOND TO GENDER BASED VIOLENCE

By Mongezi Mhlongo (BTM Reporter)

SOUTH AFRICA – 09 July 2009: Concerned about gender based violence, rapidly spiraling out of control in South Africa, a group of committed donors have established a Joint Gender Fund with the aim to provide grants to civil society organisations in support of projects that integrate fighting gender based violence and HIV and AIDS.

A joint initiative by the Irish Fund, Ford Foundation and HIVOS South Africa, the fund also aims to amongst other things “increase the number, quality, scope and scale of innovative interventions targeting gender based violence, HIV and AIDS and socio economic empowerment initiatives, in a holistic and integrated way.”

This is according to Linda Diedericks, Gender Programme Manager, Joint Gender Fund who adds “Ultimately we would like to contribute to changes in gender norms, gender inequality and inequity and a reduction in gender based violence in South Africa.”
The objective of the Joint Gender Fund include amongst others to.”

“We also want to strengthen links between government and civil society sectors in terms of responding to gender based violence and HIV and AIDS and socio economic empowerment.”
The initiative is also focusing on the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) sector and is calling for expression of interests from LGBTI NGOs that work on gender based violence.

“We are targeting the LGBTI sector. HIVOS’ MAGI programme supports the sector as well. It is our belief that gender based violence extends to the LGBTI sector too.”

HIVOS’ MAGI programme is a Multi Agency Grants Initiative which provides a responsive mechanism for the provision of small grant funding to organisations at community level.
 
“Those LGBTI organisations that fall within the criteria for funding of the JGF will be able to apply for funding for gender based work that is connected to either HIV and AIDS or socio economic development”, said Diedericks.  

The Joint Gender Fund will be officially launched on Thursday, 16 July at Museum Africa in Newtown.