Canada’s Women’s Voice and Leadership Program in South Africa demonstrates that participatory processes produce sustainable results I An observer’s perspective

ByMarinda Weideman

Canada’s Women’s Voice and Leadership Program in South Africa demonstrates that participatory processes produce sustainable results I An observer’s perspective

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) launched its international Women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL) program in June 2017. Aligned to Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, this CAD$150 million program sought to support and strengthen local and regional women’s rights organizations (WROs) and movements; and to respond specifically to the funding and capacity needs of small to medium sized WROs and networks in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The WVL program envisioned that the support provided to civil society organisations would advance gender equality, empower women, and promote and protect human rights. The specific aims of the program were to improve the management and sustainability of local and regional WROs; to strengthen the capacity of WROs to program and advocate to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls; and to increase the effectiveness of networks and alliances to bring about policy, legal and social change.

The program was implemented through 33 projects, in 31 countries, in collaboration with 21 partner organizations.

WVL South Africa was launched on 28 May 2019. Valued at CAD$4 million over four years, WVL SA was implemented by Gender Links for Equality and Justice, a South African WRO with a regional presence.

The decision to partner with a local WRO was a key factor in the success of WVL SA. Gender Links (GL) was able to utilize its reputation and networks in, as well as experiential understanding of, the women’s rights sector in South Africa to design an approach to grant disbursements that maximized reach and impact, whilst also emphasizing organizational strengthening and longer-term sustainability through targeted capacity building. In partnership with GAC, GL also ensured that the entire process, from selection to capacitation, was feminist and transparent.

Simultaneously, GAC cooperated with an independent monitoring and evaluation consultant to develop an ongoing, longitudinal, participatory, and feminist approach to monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL). The MEL approach utilized qualitative and quantitative data to inform rapid and responsive changes in program implementation when necessary. Uniquely, the MEL approach also included components to build grantee capacity and to promote sustainability.

WVL SA held its close-out function at a grantee awards ceremony on 8th March 2023. The program achieved all its objectives and the indications are that these achievements are sustainable.

This article focuses on the key successes of the program. The content derives mainly from an endline evaluation completed by the author.

Firstly, the MEL data demonstrates exceptional reach. The 60% of grantee organizations who participated in an endline survey estimated that cumulatively they reached 67,304 beneficiaries, 77% of whom were women and girls. This suggests that (when considering all the supported organizations) WVL SA directly benefited more than 100,000 people, most of whom were women and girls.

The overall WRO sector in South Africa was strengthened as the grantees expanded their networks (i.e., 94% said GL provided them with networking opportunities in the women’s rights sector; 88% reported enhanced networking capacity; and 91% were ‘connected to more WROs and networks than before’ they received WVL funding).

Feminist identities were also strengthened and 91% of grantees thought their understanding of feminism increased; while 85% said their organization’s commitment to women’s rights increased.

Organizations were strengthened through targeted capacity building. Evidence includes improvements in organizational management (85%); organizational systems (87%); administrative and record-keeping systems (88%); financial management (84%); leadership skills (82%); communication strategies (84%); social media presence (85%); monitoring and evaluation (85%); and the use of technology (76%).

Finally, WRO’s sustainability and financial standing were improved. For example, 88% plan to continue with WVL-funded projects post-funding, and 82% have organizational sustainability plans in place.

Furthermore, 88% believe that their status as a recipient of the WVL grant increased the likelihood of accessing other donor funding; while 76% accessed additional funds specifically because they were WVL grantees. The cumulative estimated value of additional funding accessed by just the 20 grantees who provided data was ZAR 22,289,000 (roughly CAD$1,783,120).

Other indicators of improved organizational sustainability include improved ability to identify funding opportunities (78%); write proposals (85%); and self-generate income (82%).

The successes of WVL SA demonstrate the possibility to shift from an established funding model to a more inclusive and feminist approach. The key factors for success include partnering with a reputable, competent, and dedicated local WRO for grant disbursements; utilizing a longitudinal, methodologically sound, and responsive approach to monitoring and evaluation; and emphasizing bespoke capacity building to strengthen grantee organizations.