Call for Project Concepts: Enhancing Gender Equality Outcomes in the Pacific Developing Member Countries

Background

Gender issues vary across the Pacific developing member countries (DMCs) because of various intersecting factors such as levels of economic development; social, cultural, and gender norms; population size and migration trends; as well as policy and legal frameworks. While many Pacific DMCs are signatories to international and regional conventions on gender equality, there are disparities in terms of the extent to which governments have adopted complementary national policies. Some common gender issues cut across countries in the region, including low levels of women’s political representation, limited participation in the formal economy, high rates of gender based violence and sexually transmitted diseases, declining access to customary land rights and low levels of legal literacy about rights to land and property, and culturally enforced discrimination against women.

The regional technical assistance (TA) for Enhancing Gender Equality Outcomes in Pacific DMCs was approved in December 2023, and is being implemented from January 2024 to December 2029 in the 14 Pacific region developing member countries (DMCs)—the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu (participating Pacific DMCs).

Scope and focus

The proposed projects should be in line with ADB’s focus areas for the acceleration of progress in gender equality identified under Operational Priority 2 of Strategy 2030 and with one or more of the overarching objectives contained in SDG 5 transformative gender agenda which includes:

• eliminating violence against women and girls;
• recognizing, reducing, and redistributing unpaid care and domestic work;
• emphasizing sexual and reproductive health and rights;
• encouraging women’s participation in decision making and leadership;
• creating access to economic and productive resources, and ICT;
• legal or institutional reforms for protecting women’s rights; and
• changing gendered social norms.

Proposed projects should also be compatible with ADB’s Pacific Approach where it is recognized that gender equality is critical for realizing socioeconomic development across the region.

Scope of work. Under the regional TA, a grant facility has been established to provide funding for projects ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 to be awarded to successful applicants from across the Pacific region countries. Eligible applicants should be registered CSOs operating in one or several participating Pacific DMCs.

Activities. A proposed activity, initiative or intervention should address one or more of the above SDG5 transformative gender agenda priorities. Projects initiatives that employ digital-based solutions are encouraged. The outcome should make a contribution towards the acceleration of gender equality and demonstrate measurable results in the applicant’s community or country.

Learn more about the call for project concepts.

Objectives

The TA focuses on developing and implementing new strategies that address priority areas in the region, as well as advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5) transformative agenda. The primary objective of this Call for Project Concepts is the identification and testing of innovative approaches to accelerate gender equality in the Pacific.

CSOs possess a deep understanding of the pressing challenges faced by women and girls in their respective countries and are directly involved in addressing gender equality issues in their communities. By utilizing this knowledge, ADB seeks to harness the untapped potential of these organizations to advance their gender equality goals. To achieve these objectives, ADB invites CSOs, either individually, in consortiums, or in partnership with commercial firms, to submit proposals for projects or initiatives that support these goals. The proposals should align with ADB’s broader objectives of promoting gender equality and socioeconomic development in the Pacific, as outlined in the paragraphs below.

How to register

The project concept note should be submitted via e-mail with the subject line: “Innovative Approaches to Support SDG5 – A Project Concept.
The deadline for submission of project concepts is 7 October 2024 (close of business Manila time).

Resource speakers

Civil society organizations in the Pacific

Event organizers / partners

• Pacific Department
• Gender Equality Division
• NGO and Civil Society Center