OVERVIEW

USAID’s Ministry of Women's Affairs Restructuring and Empowerment (MORE) project strengthens the capacity of the Ministry of Women's Affairs MoWA) in advocating for public policies that support and empower women in Afghanistan.

The MoWA Restructuring and Empowerment project is a follow on to USAID’s MoWA Initiative to Strengthen Policy and Advocacy (MISPA) project that ended in 2011.  The project supports two key components of MoWA’s National Priority Program:  Component 1, which focuses on institutional reform and capacity building, and Component 5, which deals with public awareness and education, outreach and media relations. At the central level, the project supports implementation of a comprehensive capacity development plan for the newly-established MoWA Provincial Relations Department, which is responsible for coordinating with and supporting the Departments of Women’s Affairs (DoWA), and, depending on security, for strategic capacity building in all or most of the 34 provincial level DoWAs.

ACTIVITIES

• Policy Leadership Development: MORE focuses on capacity development and connectivity of MoWA and DoWAs. 
• Technical Advising and Monitoring: A Provincial Profiling System has been developed to enable MoWA to aggregate and disseminate information on the status of women geographically, politically, health, education, etc.
• Public Outreach: MoWA has conducted a nationwide campaign seeking to eliminate violence against women as part of their policy function in the government of Afghanistan, with USAID support.
• MoWA-DoWA Relations: The Women’s Support Services System allows MoWA to provide information and referrals to women who have been victims of gender based violence. With USAID support, this system has been strengthened.

EXPECTED RESULTS

• Offer training and capacity development for MoWA and DoWA staff members.
• Avail scholarship program for MoWA staff to finish their bachelor degrees.
• Complete the Provincial Profiling System Framework.
• Establish and operationalize Women’s Support Services System.

RESULTS TO-DATE

• MORE is facilitating MoWA to finalize a new strategy for the Ministry’s organizational development.
• 75 MoWA and DoWA staff were awarded scholarships to obtain a bachelor's degree in FY14-15, out of which, 6 scholars have graduated.
• 10 more scholarships awarded in 2016.
• Over 130 MoWA staff & 130 DoWA staff have taken classes to improve their English.
• In FY2014, 1,889 participants attended various trainings such as Gender Mainstreaming, Policy Development, M&E, MoWA Mandates, Communication and Outreach which have contributed to the achievement of intermediate results and overall objectives of MORE project.
• 9 Gender Provincial Profiles have been completed.
• For the MoWA anti-violence against women campaign, MORE produced 7,000 posters, 1,170 banners, 6,000 broachers, 780 booklets, 7 TV and 50 radio programs/spots, as well as 7 radio magazines.
• 34 provinces have received trainings on implementing a Women's Support System (referral service for victims of violence).